Category Archives: General cinema items

This may not be entirely relevant but if you’re on this site then it might be of interest. Click here.

Now I wouldn’t normally read the Daily Mail, but click this link to see some interesting facts about Odeon buildings.

(Taken form this weeks The Stage)

Derby Hippodrome set to make way for car park
Published Thursday 5 February 2009 at 11:15 by Lalayn Baluch
Plans are being laid to partially flatten the beleaguered Derby Hippodrome to make way for a multi-storey car park, office and retail complex.
The owner of the disused Grade II-listed theatre Christopher Anthony has submitted a pre-planning application to Derby City Council, which will allow for a 14-day consultation period before his proposals are submitted officially.
The document outlines plans to create a 346-space car park behind the existing frontage of the theatre, as well as a block of flats and offices. The ground floor of the site will house a coffee shop, newsagent and toilets.
Internal decorative plaster work will be retained and restored “as far as practicable” and a modern steel canopy will be removed.
Huge parts of the venue were demolished by the owner last March. The building suffered additional minor damage from a fire two weeks ago – the second blaze at the site in less than a year.
The design outline for the redevelopment states: “The proposals seek to retain those parts of the building that have not been irretrievably lost, retain those elevations of the building which are still structurally sound and contribute to the local street scene. Find a use for the main part of the building that will allow the retained elements to be sympathetically retained in as unaltered form as possible, remove opportunities for antisocial behaviour and contribute to the regeneration of the immediate area.”
The plans have been criticised by the Derby New Theatre Association, which represents amateur theatre in the city. DNTA chairman Tony Jaggers said: “I am appalled. It was listed because of its internal features and structure.
“I would like the council to put a preservation order on Anthony and if he failed to [repair it] then they should compulsorily purchase it. Then seek ways to set up some sort of trust to eventually get the whole building back into use.”
Meanwhile, Theatres Trust director Mhora Samuel said that the loss of the building would be a “total tragedy”. She added: “How will a multi-storey car park bring Derby Hippodrome back to life as a theatre or provide any cultural benefit to the City? The Theatres Trust would object strongly to any application that proposes this.”
A council spokesman said that the authority would consider changing the building’s use from a bingo hall to a car park. He added: “Mr Anthony owns the Hippodrome building, not the council, therefore we cannot force him to bring the building back into use as a theatre. We are, however, trying to facilitate a realistic and practical use for the building.”
He said that the council is still considering prosecuting Anthony in relation to the demolition of the venue last year.

Published Friday 5 December 2008 at 13:15 by Lalayn Baluch www.thestage.co.uk

Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt is calling on the government to reconsider its decision to drop the Heritage Bill, which would have seen the Theatres Trust gain more clout in protecting historic buildings.

The legislation was one of five axed from the Queen’s speech earlier this week, which included only 13 of the 18 bills originally mooted in a draft of the presentation in May. Instead, the speech prioritised laws which would have a greater impact on tackling the economic downturn.
Hunt said: “However the government tries to dress it up, the absence of a Heritage Bill in the Queen’s Speech speaks volumes about their continued lack of commitment to our historic buildings.

“Whilst we may want to debate some of the details, we would be more than happy to work with the government to ensure it got through parliament quickly and efficiently. For the sake of the entire heritage sector, we should not wait another year for the chance to make much needed improvements to the way we protect and preserve our heritage for the future.”

In November it was announced that under an amendment to the Heritage Bill, the Theatres Trust could be made a statutory consultee for any councils and venues wanting to make changes to listed buildings. This would have given the trust the power to prevent incidents such as the partial destruction to the Derby Hippodrome.

Following the Queen’s speech, Theatres Trust director Mhora Samuel expressed disappointment at the bill not being laid out as a priority for next year. However, she said that the organisation would work with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to find other ways to secure greater influence in protecting historic buildings.

Read here about the latest milestone reached by the Stockport Plaza!

Click here to read about another old cinema saved from the brink of becoming a chain pub!

FYI – Another article hopefully featuring in the Messenger next week about Longford Cinema.