Cineworld chief executive Steve Wiener wants his company to operate a seven-screen cinema in the town centre and is backing plans to redevelop the former Barlo radiator factory site, at Spinning Jenny Way, Leigh, into a state-of-the-art retail park.

Mr Wiener, who started his career as a cinema usher, believes the mixed leisure and retail complex could provide a welcome jobs boost for the area.

He said: "This project would bring lots of benefits to Leigh. We're expecting to create 40 jobs but this could go up. We'd also need to take on workers for our cleaning service and we'd want to recruit local people.

"Residents in Leigh have to travel to Wigan or Manchester to visit the cinema, which is not ideal.

"Since the beginning of motion pictures, cinemas have been the centre of the community. But after 1985 and the birth of the multiplex many have been removed from town centres.

"We're looking to re-establish the cinema in the centre of the community and offer some pure escapism."

Developers are proposing to build a large-format Tesco superstore, seven-screen Cineworld cinema, four family-orientated restaurants and make landscaping improvements to the Bridgewater Canal.

It is thought the retail park could create 780 jobs.

A planning application has been submitted to Wigan Council and a decision on the site is expected in March or April.

Around 600 people viewed plans for the leisure complex at an exhibition in Bradshawgate in November.

Steve Wiener joined the company's board in October 2004 and has served as the chief executive of Cine-UK since the business was founded in 1995.

With 37 years experience in the industry, he left his role as Managing Director of Warner Bros to found Cine-UK in 1995. The first Cine-UK cinema opened in July 1996.