Signs halt Reel cinema progress (From York Press)

Signs halt Reel cinema progress

11:40am Friday 2nd January 2009 in News By Gavin Aitchison, gavin.aitchison@thepress.co.uk

A pay and display car park has been opened behind the old Odeon Cinema, while the builing is yet to be renovated

MORE than 18 months after pledging to reopen York’s Odeon cinema, its new owners are finally taking action – by setting up a pay and display car park.

While the 1930s picture-house remains boarded up, Reel Cinema (UK) Ltd is now pressing ahead with plans to charge motorists to park behind the building.

The firm wants to offer spaces at a rate of £1 an hour or £4 all day and has already carried out works on the car park.

It has now sought retrospective permission for the signs and pay and display machine, and has tabled planning applications with City of York Council.

However, the firm has now become embroiled in a dispute over the impact its signs are having on the Blossom Street landmark.

The council’s own conservation expert Mark Barratt has warned that “the signs fail to preserve the character of the building as one of special architectural or historic interest”.

Mr Barratt said the cinema was an attractive art deco building, adding: “Seen from the rear, an important part of the character of the building is the simplicity of the design.”

He said the signs detracted from that character.

Meanwhile, Micklegate ward councillor Sandy Fraser today called on Reel to take action on the cinema itself.

The firm first vowed to have it reopen by summer 2007, and has since repeatedly committed to opening it, with little visible progress.

In October, managing director Kailash Suri said the cinema’s refurbishment would still go ahead, despite some unspecified complications.

He said then: “We are trying to weigh up our options and have to make a decision on the way forward. It’s nearly a year since I bought that place and it’s costing me money.”

Coun Fraser said today: “They keep assuring us that they intend to reopen it but it’s disappointing that there seems to be a continuing delay.”

He said the building had been blighted by vandalism while boarded up and added: “We would certainly welcome some early progress to getting it re-open and getting the eyesore shuttering removed.”

The Press contacted Mr Suri ahead of this story, but he did not return the newspaper’s calls. Other staff at Reel declined to comment when contacted.

Art deco letters ‘important’

IT is not the first time that signs on the Odeon cinema have caused controversy.

In 2003 plans were submitted by Odeon Cinemas to alter the high-level signs on the 1930s-built cinema, which is a Grade II-listed building.

The plans were to replace the specially designed rounded letters – unique to York after similarly designed signs in Chester were removed – with those seen on standard Odeons elsewhere across the country.

The changes were planned as part of renovation work to the outside of the building, which also included repainting the doors and windows.

But councillors decided the signs were too important to the overall look of the building – despite fears that Odeon bosses would close the cinema if the changes did not get the go-ahead.