They're toying with the idea of a new creative arts centre in Katikati, for both visual and performing arts – cinema, theatre and art gallery perhaps.

'Something small, quaint and boutique” says Katch Katikati promotions manager, Jacqui Knight. '50 to 70 seats. Intimate. And I am thinking red velvet and chandeliers.”

Katikati has not had a cinema since the 1970s – it was bulldozed for the Cherry Court retail precinct. 'But I think it's about time we had another one,” say Jacqui. And the Katikati Theatre Group, which Jacqui says is a very proactive and productive group, has been looking for a home for a long time.

It's a concept which is slowly coming together. 'We have had four or five meetings and there's definitely an interest. We've been talking to the arts community about whether it wants to do something and the feedback is we should be looking at a creative arts centre.”

And they're not looking far afield for a facility. Once the town's new library and community centre is built on the former Dunning Block at 21 Main St, the current building opposite the Memorial Hall will become empty.

”The Information Centre and Katch Katikati are also in this building and we will be staying here” says Jacqui. But it'll be a year before the building is empty.

'We still need to get confirmation from council that we would be the key tenants and then we can make plans from there. There's still quite a bit of community consultation to engage in. Still a lot of planning to do.”

There would also have to be some investment in tiered seating and a stage set-up for musical productions and theatre, as well as a screen that drops to become a cinema.

'It would get a lot of use” says Jacqui. 'Katikati has a lot of stage entertainers, a lot of musical groups, and there's the Katikati Theatre Group which puts on a couple of shows a year.” And there would be the movies.

Jacqui believes Katikati and its 7000-8000 district residents could support such a facility. 'And because of the point of difference - quaint and boutique rather than just another cinema or theatre - it would probably draw patrons from as far afield as Waihi, Waihi Beach and Omokoroa.”

But Jacqui insists it's still just an idea and there's a lot of planning to do.