ODEON bosses have still not decided on the future of their York cinema - five months after we revealed they were assessing its economic viability.

The lack of progress on the issue will be a blow to nearly 14,000 people who have signed our petition calling for the Blossom Street picture house to remain open following a sensitive refurbishment.

Campaigners today expressed frustration at the delay.

Mick Tomo, who runs Ruby Arts Tattoo Studio, in Blossom Street, and collected dozens of signatures for our petition, said the lack of a decision on the cinema's future left them in limbo.

"They should have made a decision by now," he told the Evening Press. "It just leaves people hanging. A lot of businesses, particularly the take-aways, will be badly affected if it closes."

An Odeon spokeswoman said it was still not known when a decision would be made on the future of the cinema. She said: "Odeon Cinemas can confirm that its cinema on Blossom Street, York is still being assessed for its economic viability. Management will continue to keep staff informed of any developments, should they occur."

The spokeswoman said no full-time replacement had yet been appointed for the chain's former chief executive, Ian Pluthero, who left the company last month. "We will communicate any appointment as and when it is made," she said.

York MP Hugh Bayley and town crier John Redpath accompanied the Evening Press to London the day before Mr Pluthero's departure, to hand senior Odeon chiefs the petition containing an incredible 13,600 signatures.

The cinema chain's executives had refused to accept the petition by hand at their headquarters near Leicester Square and told us to post it through the letterbox.

But after 30 minutes waiting outside, an unnamed employee eventually agreed to take it in.

Odeon marketing director Ron Hanlon is now in possession of the signatures.

Meanwhile, the Evening Press recently reported that leading Odeon campaigner Gary Haq, of Wolsley Street, York, had urged those who signed the petition to join his group, The Save The Odeon Cinema Club, dedicated to watching films at the Blossom Street picture house.

He said he was keen to show the company the cinema still had a bright future in the city, and to stave off the threat of it being sold to the highest bidder.

Updated: 10:17 Friday, April 30, 2004