Birmingham's famous Ritz Ballroom could be reborn as an arts and community centre.
The site once occupied by the legendary nightspot - where The Beatles and The Rolling Stones performed - was gutted in a fire in March last year.
But now there are plans to create the Ritz Community Arts Centre, to include a museum, cinema and a rehearsal and performance space for music, theatre and dance.
The scheme is the brainchild of Bob Prew and Ken Whittaker. They are already involved in the Kings Heath Walk of Fame, which pays tribute to the area’s musical heritage.
Mr Prew, a former city council worker, said: “The owner of the site has agreed to give us first refusal on buying it so we are currently having it valued.
“The first stage in trying to achieve this aim is to set up a new registered charity to enable us to apply for Big Lottery and Heritage Lottery Funds.
“To become a registered charity we have to show we have an annual income of at least £5,000. So we hope to persuade 500 people to agree to donate £10 a year.”
The Ritz closed in the early 1970s and was converted into a bingo hall. Owner Joe Regan died in 2004, followed by his wife Mary in 2008.
The building, off York Road, stood vacant until it became a Cash Converters store. The fire, which left the building a derelict shell, was initially believed to have been an arson attack but it later emerged that an electrical fault sparked the blaze.
An open meeting will be held at the All Saints Centre, on Kings Heath's Village Square, at 7pm on September 23.
