VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A church has pulled its request for a religious use permit for a property on Laskin Road that currently houses the Beach Cinema Alehouse.
We first reported in March about Ascent Church looking to take over the lease for the location occupied by the theater.
Watch previous coverage: Virginia Beach church looking to move into Beach Cinema Ale House, but not without opposition
The church's religious use permit went through the planning commission back in April, with the commission ultimately deciding to deny the request.
The church pulled back its request for the permit before it could make its way to city council for a final decision.
Before Easter, Ascent Church told News 3 they were interested in the Beach Cinema Ale House location because it's more centrally-located than the church's current spot on Shore Drive and it has more parking.
The church's interest in Beach Cinema Ale House's location was met with some opposition, with some residents saying they didn't want to see the theater go. Others voiced concerns about potential traffic issues on Laskin Road that could arise due to multiple church services.
As of right now, the property is still up for rent online. News 3 reporter John Hood has reached out to the owners to see what their next plans are, but he's still waiting to hear back.
