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BLOW DEALT TO CINEMA BID
AN AUSTRALIAN businessman wanting to resurrect Harborough's former Ritz Cinema is staying optimistic despite councillors giving the go-ahead to demolish the building for flats and a shop.
And the London-based firm behind the flats scheme told the Mail yesterday (Wednesday) that it was keeping the door open for a cinema bid.
Passionate campaigners, backed by an 8,000-signature petition, have been calling for The Ritz in Northampton Road to be turned back into a cinema – a change which would give Harborough its first cinema in 30 years.
The 69-year-old Ritz closed in 1978 and was most recently a Kwik Save store but has sat empty and become an eyesore since June 2005.
A major blow seemed to have been dealt to campaigners on Tuesday night after Harborough District Council’s planning committee gave approval for demolition of the building and full permission for a shops and retirement flats complex.
But the Australian businessman behind the cinema idea, John Sullivan, issued a message of defiance to the Mail yesterday.
In an email sent from Croatia, Mr Sullivan, owner of The Light digital cinema firm, said: “We were not surprised by the council’s decision but this does not yet mean the end of our attempt to bring a cinema back to Harborough.
“We still want to talk to the site’s current owners about putting a six-screen digital cinema on the land and will also be actively looking for other locations in the town centre.”
And Mark Slatter, a director of Alislane, said: “We always have been and remain available to The Light group. We would like to hear their bid and the door remains open at present.”
He said Alislane has not set a timescale for starting work.
At Tuesday’s crunch meeting, councillors gave full planning consent for 43 retirement flats with retail space on the ground floor.
Councillors agonised over its decision for 28 minutes and toyed with the idea of deferring a decision until cinema campaigners could meet with Alislane but development control manager Gareth Jones told councillors there was no legal planning basis for such a request.
Four objectors and two supporters spoke at the meeting including Harborough 12-year-old Lucy Seaward, who helped get the cinema campaign rolling back in August 2007 through the Harborough Mail with calls for a petition.
Chamber of Trade vice-chairman Martin Hill said the chamber felt it was inappropriate to have one of the major gateways into the town dominated by residential space.
Ann Height, chairman of South Leicestershire College and a Harborough resident for more than 35 years, said: “As a resident I’m dismayed at yet more residential accommodation particularly on a site in the centre of town.”
The college has been named as one of the potential partners in Mr Sullivan’s cinema scheme with a media college to be included in plans. She said the college was committed to improving the prospects and opportunities for young people.
Lucy Seaward (12), who helped kick-start the cinema petition in August 2007 in the Mail, said: “There are very few places for young people to go. 8,000 signatures proves just what the people of Harborough want. Ask anyone of any age and they will tell you. It would be wonderful if the committee could stand up for the people of the town.”
Cllr Michael Rook quipped that Lucy should consider becoming a councillor after her spirited speech.
Cinema campaigner Alastair Campbell told councillors Mr Sullivan wanted more time to speak to Alislane to put his bid forward.
Applause from the public gallery greeted the four speeches from objectors.
Duncan Thomas, who said Alislane paid him to provide independent advice on the scheme, said: “The council’s planning officers have no axe to grind and I don’t either. This is a novel [design] approach.”
He also defended Alislane against claims it had cancelled meetings or refused to talk with cinema bidders.
Architect Gary Boydell told councillors the design would act as “a sentry to the gateway of the historic town centre”.
Cllr Amanda Burrell said: “It’s an absolutely excellent building for Harborough and marries the old and the new. Giving permission to this scheme doesn’t close the door on Alislane to talk to the cinema people.”
Development control manager Gareth Jones advised councillors they ‘had to consider what’s on the table on its individual merits’.
Cllr Rook said: “This does not preclude anything that could happen with the cinema bid and we wish them the best of luck.”
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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