THE future of York's Odeon cinema building remains shrouded in mystery, more than two months after a final deadline for offers from developers.

Odeon bosses are staying tight-lipped over who has bid for the listed art deco building in Blossom Street, and what the prospective owners want to do with it.

A spokeswoman initially promised The Press an update earlier this week, but later said the company could not make any comment until the deal had been finalised.

She said she could not say when an announcement would be made.

The cinema, which would have celebrated its 70th birthday this year had it remained open, has lain boarded up and shabby-looking since shutting down last August.

The owners decided to axe it despite a massive Press campaign to save it from closure, backed by more than 13,000 readers.

Its future had been under threat since planners blocked proposals to alter the traditional Odeon signs as part of a refurbishment scheme.

That decision in the autumn of 2003 prompted the company to launch a lengthy assessment of the cinema's economic viability, which ended in March last year with the decision to close it down.

Following the closure, Leeds estate agents Colliers CRE were called in to sell a long leasehold on the building.

Colliers spokesman Toby Hall later revealed there had been "great interest" in the site, with several bids being made by a variety of leisure operators.

Fifteen potential bidders were said to have expressed an interest in the building, with a deadline of February 28 being set for final and best offers, which would then be considered by the Odeon board.