News / save Redfield cinema
Campaign to save historic cinema fails
The campaign to save a historic cinema met its end on Wednesday when councillors approved planning permission to turn it into flats.
The venue, which opened on Church Road as St George’s Hall Electric Palace in 1912, still has most of its original features including an art deco frieze and balcony seating.
It closed as a picture theatre in the 1960s and later spent time as a bingo hall, a Wetherspoon and branch of the Crafty Egg.
is needed now More than ever
Supporters of Save Redfield Cinema wanted the building to become a community cinema and for the “real cultural treasure” to be preserved.
They garnered 10,000 signatures on their petition to save it – but it was all for nothing after the council’s planning committee voted to approve its transformation into flats.
Campaigners have been fighting to save the cinema for years – photo: Save Redfield Cinema
Housing developer Landrose plans to extend the building and create nine shared flats. keeping space for a smaller pub on the ground floor.
The flats will be houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and each will have four or five bedrooms.
The application was previously rejected on parking and highway safety grounds, and while it was approved this time councillors still criticised the development for having too few parking spaces and cramped living conditions.
Speaking after the meeting, councillor Jenny Bartle said: “After years of campaigning, Barry (Parsons, councillor) and I are really disappointed that this application was approved.
“We really wanted to save the cinema, but the developer was determined to stop us.
“After three rounds, they finally put in an application that the council had no grounds to refuse based on national planning rules.”
Councillor Al Al-Maghrabi said: “This is a great scheme. I actually started off in an HMO in Bristol when I moved here in 2017.
“It gives young people a good chance to move into the city.”
Main photo: Landrose
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