BOSSES of a cinema and museum have said uncertainty over the future of the building they share is limiting their capacity to invest in the sites.

The Roxy and The Laurel and Hardy Museum in Ulverston have been forced to cope with attempts to sell the Brogden Street building spanning a number of years.

"We want to stay there but, until such time as we do know what our future is, it holds us back with regard to sprucing the place up and so on," said Charles Morris, director of the Roxy.

“I would like to be a little more assured of my future there. One likes to be able to feel secure and to be able to make plans."

Mark Greenhow, owner of The Laurel and Hardy Museum, said the potential sale of the building had been a 'recurring theme'.

"It goes on, it comes off, it goes on, it comes off," he said.

“It’s always worrying when the sign goes up. You never know what the new owner is going to do with it.

“It’s a place we’d like to stay, but you just never know what a new owner’s plans for it might be, so it’s always concerning.”

Mr Greenhow said 'some sort of closure' would be 'ideal'.

"It’s got to the point I can’t spend, I can’t invest anything in the business, I can’t invest anything in the facilities or the exhibition, because I don’t really know what our future’s going to be," he said.

He described it as an 'iconic' building in the town and felt the old cinema building was a 'perfect fit' for a museum paying tribute to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, film stars of yesteryear.

In addition to the cinema and museum, the building houses a gym.

A listing at corrieandco.co.uk says offers in the region of £190,000 are sought.