Bradford's Odeon cinema plans music venue

The former Odeon building in Bradford has remained empty since it closed in 2000

Plans for a disused cinema in West Yorkshire to become a 3,500-seat live music venue have been revealed.

Bradford's former Odeon cinema could be given a £19m revamp, according to a group called Bradford Live.

It believes the venue could host live events up to 200 times a year and bring "thousands of people" into the city.

Lee Craven, a local businessman and the project's director, said: "The Odeon is critical to Bradford city centre's future."

He said the new venue would be a good size for touring bands.

The group said the project would take about three years once work was under way.

Nick Russell, a funding specialist who has worked on the Leeds arena, said the group was looking to use loans designed to support public sector projects.

The Odeon originally opened as the New Victoria cinema and theatre in 1930 and closed in 2000.

Plans to demolish the building were scrapped in September after the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which owns the building, terminated an agreement with developers Langtree Artisan.

The HCA has offered to sell the building to the city council for £1.