The Scottish owner of the only remaining independent cinema in London’s West End intends to submit a bid to plans to buy and reopen the Edinburgh Filmhouse.

The film hub in Lothian Road closed in October along with the Belmont cinema in Aberdeen after parent company, the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), went into administration.

Gregory Lynn, from Dunbar in East Lothian, has run the Prince Charles Cinema near Leicester Square for 20 years and is keen to acquire Edinburgh Filmhouse.

He said his bid was “fully costed and fully funded” – including plans for extensive renovations after surveys showed it had fallen into “substantial” disrepair.

CMI blamed rising costs and falling audiences for the decision to close.

Mr Lynn said his bid is “robust, viable rout” to bring the Filmhouse back to life.

“As an experienced and successful independent cinema operator we believe we are the best qualified bidders with the funding, plan and expertise to bring the Filmhouse back to its full glory, with top notch facilities and a secure future.”

Screen Scotland, the national body behind the Scottish movie and TV industry, last week raised hopes that the Edinburgh Film Festival will be revived after acquiring the intellectual property rights to the event.