A longstanding building in a Swindon suburb that used to be a one-screen cinema has been boarded up. 

The Palladium building in Rodbourne has been used for a variety of different things, but now there is uncertainty over what is next in store for it.

The building was placed on the market in September last year and was sold for a reported £268,000 in October 2023. 

It has sat untouched since then but recently the doorways were boarded up, causing some intrigue among members of the public who can't help but wonder what the plan for the Palladium is. 

Photos show a big wooden board has been placed within the archway of the building, alongside the windows that still contain printed letters. 

Some locals fear that the building that started life as a cinema in 1928 might be turned into flats.

"No doubt it'll be turned into an HMO, that's what happens everywhere," one member of the public, who wished to remain anonymous, said. 

"I'd quite like someone to turn it back into a cinema again, I think that would be quirky and a real benefit to the community, but we all know that won't happen."

Another member of the public who also wished not to be named said: "I had heard from a friend that the local church had purchased it. Not sure what they'd do with it, to be honest."

The Jennings Street location was operated by Even Swindon Cinema Ltd and had 750 seats and an RCA sound system at its opening. 

It closed as a cinema in 1962 and was converted into a bingo club but it then eventually became a printer's workshop. 

After this, a deal was struck between a local teacher and the building's landlord at the time to convert it into a community arts centre, which opened in March 2017 and was known as The Balcony. 

But the building became unused and was placed up for auction by Network Auctions Limited, Watford, as a commercial development with a starting price of £195,000. 

No planning applications have been made regarding the property since it was purchased by the new owners, who remain unknown at this time.