FEARS that the promised rebuilding of a beloved cinema is nothing but a smokescreen for a new car park have been dismissed by developers.

More than 100 people signed a petition overnight on Wednesday calling for the long-awaited construction of the £20million Empire Cinema, in Uxbridge Road, Ealing, to be stopped as rumours persist that diggers are there to build spaces for cars.

But Empire Cinema told Ealing Gazette emphatically it would continue to build the cinema in line with planning permission granted last month, and reassured protesters the spaces on site would be only for a temporary car park.

The online petition, created by Kuldeep Brar, reads: "Ealing and film go together like Wimbledon and tennis.

"From the long history of Ealing Studios, which created the Ealing Comedies and 100s of other classics to the Art Deco original Ealing Cinema, where locals would flock to get a taste of movie glamour, Ealing is the place for watching film.

"It hasn't been for a long time due to neglect, but it once was, and should be again. Instead, Empire apparently wants to turn movie magic into a car park graveyard.

"We've been patient, we've seen the once glorious Art Deco theatre slowly crumble with neglect, but we still went to the movies.

"It's been torn down to little more than a pile of rubble and we're waiting

for the cinema that was promised."

The Empire Cinema was demolished at the turn of 2008/09 but concern grew as the site was all but deserted for almost two years.

Ealing Council served a completion notice and threatened the developer with a compulsory purchase order, but last month the company was granted permission for a variation to the former application to provide more floor space for restaurants, cafes and bars.

A spokesman for Empire Cinema confirmed work had started on site this week and space for a car park would be constructed for a temporary period.

He added: "The cinema is progressing as per the planning permission granted last month." * The petition is at www.petitionbuzz. com/petitions/saveealingcinema.