The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) has launched an ‘eleventh hour’ planning Appeal in a last ditch attempt to convert Walthamstow’s EMD Cinema for religious use.

The planning application aimed at converting the EMD into a place of worship was finally rejected by Waltham Forest Council in May last year following a long campaign by the McGuffin Film Society and local residents. The new Appeal means the case will now be reconsidered by government planning inspectors who have the power to overturn the local authority decision and grant permission for the church scheme – if they can be persuaded of its merits.

Councillors and senior council officers are now likely to be forced to defend their decision at a Public Inquiry later in the year.

We are now urging all our members and cinema supporters to write to the government and object to this Appeal. It is both essential and urgent that residents make their views known to the government’s planning inspectors so they are aware of the strength of local opposition to UCKG’s plans.

Full details about how to object can be found here.

You can now join the McGuffin Film Society or donate to the EMD Cinema campaign online using your credit card, debit card or Paypal account. 

Click here for details of how to join up online.

On Wednesday 18 May Waltham Forest Council voted to reject the planning application from the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) aimed at converting Walthamstow’s EMD Cinema into a place of worship.

Amidst unprecedented scenes, more than 700 people attended the planning committee meeting at Walthamstow Assembly Hall to hear the debate and witness the vote – with at least a further 250 people unable to gain access to the building due to overcrowding.

The decision to reject the UCKG planning application was unanimous and supported by all political parties.

Following the meeting Council leader Chris Robbins said “There’s a lot of support for retaining the building as a cultural venue and I am sure many residents will be delighted with the decision. Should UCKG decide to appeal we will, of course, defend our decision”.

Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, said “UCKG’s proposal to turn the EMD Cinema into a church has now been rejected twice, demonstrating the clear and settled will of the residents of Walthamstow that they wish to see this building restored as a cinema. But I am all too aware that we’ve been here before and it would be a travesty if the current owners of the site were now able to continue holding on to a precious piece of Walthamstow’s heritage and allow it to deteriorate further without consequences. Those of us who cherish the history of the building and are ambitious for its future role in our community will not rest until it is saved”.

A BBC news report can be found here. Evening Standard news reports can be found here and here. A report from the Waltham Forest Guardian can be found here.

Campaign Summary

The EMD Cinema closed in 2003 when it was purchased by the controversial Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) who intended to convert it for religious use. Following a massive local campaign led by the McGuffin Film Society, the government held a Public Inquiry which ruled that the building remained commercially viable as a cinema and should not be converted into a church. Despite receiving at least 12 offers from potential buyers, UCKG declined to sell the building and instead left it empty.

At the beginning of 2009 it was confirmed that UCKG were proposing a new scheme to convert the historic venue into a church. The new proposals would see the vast majority of the site used exclusively as a church with some space in the former Upstairs Circle area of Cinema 1 adapted to create a small venue which UCKG claim would eventually be available for community hire at commercial rates. The adjoining carpet shop and Victoria pub would also be closed and converted into UCKG ‘training rooms’ and ‘youth centre’.

In March 2009 more than 400 residents gathered to discuss the new proposals at a public meeting in Walthamstow organised by the McGuffin Film Society. 100% of those in attendance voted in favour of reviving the EMD as a cinema. Full details of the public meeting can be found here.

The following month UCKG held an exhibition of their plans which prompted a huge demonstration outside the EMD Cinema attended by over 600 local residents and attracting coverage from the national press, television and radio. Messages of support were also received from a number of celebrities (see below).

Shortly afterwards, several high profile cinema operators went on the record to confirm their ongoing interest in reviving the EMD. Read their statements here. UCKG’s new planning application was eventually published in August 2009 and a Day of Action was organised by the McGuffin Film Society to enable residents to register their objections to the scheme. Campaigners also presented a detailed planning submission to the council. More than 1000 local residents sent written objections to the council for consideration as part of the planning process.

In 2010 council leader Chris Robbins commissioned a team of independent consultants to assess the viability of reviving the EMD as a place of entertainment. The consultants met with representatives of UCKG, the council and the McGuffin Film Society to examine all sides of the cinema debate. Their report firmly endorsed the cinema’s regeneration and would play a critical role in the council’s decision to reject UCKG’s planning application. Full details about the report can be found here. The report’s recommendations also led directly to the formation of Waltham Forest Cinema Trust, a not-for-profit organisation which hopes to acquire the EMD building for cinema use if an agreement can be reached.

A brief history of the EMD Cinema can be found here. A detailed history of the campaign can be found here.

Click the link to see film footage of the Town Hall protest, the planning meeting and the decision itself.

The popular McGuffins Film and TV Quiz Night will return on Saturday 4 February 2012 to the Rose & Crown pub, 55 Hoe Street, London E17.

Come and test your knowledge of the film and TV greats to win a selection of prizes including cinema tickets, books, DVDs and movie memorabilia. £50 cash first prize with further cash prizes for second and third places. All welcome. Admission £1.50. Click here for more details.

“possibly the biggest quiz in London” – TIME OUT

We are pleased to report that Waltham Forest Council has teamed up with Waltham Forest Cinema Trust to jointly fund a study aimed at developing a full business plan to bring the EMD Cinema back into use as a multi-purpose entertainment venue.

Cllr Chris Robbins, Leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “There is a tremendous amount of grassroots support for bringing the building back into use as a cultural venue and I’m glad to be able to lend my wholehearted support to the Waltham Forest Cinema Trust. These are early days yet but I believe the Trust have the knowledge and expertise to make this work and I’m therefore happy to do what I can to bring their plans one small step closer to reality.”

Neil Gerrard, Chair of Waltham Forest Cinema Trust, said: “We’re convinced that bringing the EMD back into use as a cinema and live performance venue would be hugely popular and prove to be a great asset to the local community and the local economy. The many discussions we’ve had with cinema operators, industry consultants and others convince us that a reborn cinema would be entirely viable. Restoring this wonderful Grade II* listed building and making it fit for the 21st century will be a huge undertaking and the backing of the Council to help us develop our plans is greatly welcomed. The Trust now intend to undertake detailed feasibility studies to secure confirmed backing and investment for this venture.”

The Council and the Trust will each contribute £15,000 to the new study.

We are also delighted to announce that the EMD has been incorporated into the borough’s Area Action Plan for Walthamstow.

 The Area Action Plan sets out the council’s key objectives for local regeneration and outlines a long-term strategy to deliver a high quality shopping and visitor destination in the heart of Waltham Forest.

In relation to the EMD Cinema, the new policy document states:

 “We propose a leisure led scheme with ancillary restaurant and bar uses. As a Grade II Listed Building development proposals should seek to fully restore the existing building. The development of this site will restore a decaying listed building to its rightful former glory. A leisure proposal will provide a much needed leisure and entertainment attraction to the centre which will attract additional visitors and tourism to the centre. An independent report by Locum undertaken in 2010 looked at the viability of bringing the Granada cinema back into use. It advised that it is possible to operate the Granada as an entertainment venue with a substantial commercial investment. The Locum report also indicates that it is possible for the building to operate alongside the provision of a multiplex cinema on the neighbouring Arcade site. The character and size of the cinema makes it suitable for an entertainment venue that could include performance space, auditorium events and cinema screenings which would attract local and regional visitors. Such a proposal will also support the development of the ‘leisure and entertainment zone’ proposed for this end of the centre and also the further development of the night-time economy. The site is close to key transport hubs and thus is an ideally located for people accessing the site by public transport.”

The Area Action Plan can be read in full here.

We are delighted to announce the formation of Waltham Forest Cinema Trust – a not-for-profit independent organisation and registered company which aims to buy, restore and reopen the EMD Cinema as a place of entertainment for the benefit of the whole community.

Waltham Forest Cinema Trust has been created in direct response to the recommendations found in last year’s council-commissioned Locum Consultants Report which examined the viability of reviving the EMD as a cinema.

The Trust has developed a strong business model for the revived cinema which would be financially self-sustaining and does not require any funding from the local authority.

Curzon Cinemas, Phil McIntyre Entertainments and local company Eat 17 have all expressed interest in being part of  this new business venture which would see the EMD reinvented as a mixed-use entertainment venue with cinema at the core of its activities.

The Trust’s directors boast strong links to the community, excellent fundraising experience and a track record of delivering similar projects. They have the passion, vision, expertise and contacts needed to deliver a high-quality and successful new cultural centre for the borough. The Trustees include two West End theatre directors, a professional fundraiser, a member of the Bernstein family (who built the cinema in 1930) and Walthamstow’s former MP.

Waltham Forest Cinema Trust is ready to open negotiations to purchase the EMD Cinema from the current owners, the UCKG, and acknowledges that extensive restoration and refurbishment is needed to bring the building back into use.

For more information visit Waltham Forest Cinema Trust’s newly launched website at http://www.walthamforestcinematrust.org.uk/

Vertigo Magazine has published an in-depth article about the EMD Cinema.

The article examines the cinema’s history and the campaign to secure its future. You can read the article here.

The latest issue of Snipe – London’s independent music, art and culture magazine – contains a new article about the EMD Cinema campaign.

Snipe is available free from a wide range of venues across the capital. The EMD Cinema article can also be read online here.

    

ROLLING STONES legend Mick Jagger has joined a host of stars backing the McGuffin campaign to save Waltham Forest’s EMD Cinema.

In a statement he said “Cinemas and live venues like The Granada in Walthamstow where the Stones played in the early days, learning our craft on the way, are the lifeblood of our cultural history. They helped launch British popular music onto a world stage and should continue to function as places of entertainment and enjoyment. It’s heartbreaking to hear such a beautiful, important historical building and centre of entertainment is being lost to the local community. I fully support the campaign to keep it open and provide film, music and the arts for generations to come.”

A number of other high profile supporters have recently come forward to back the campaign.

Actor and comedian Alan Davies – star of ‘Jonathan Creek’ and a regular celebrity panelist on the BBC’s long running ‘Q.I.’ – was born in nearby Loughton and attended school in Woodford Green. He travelled to Walthamstow regularly throughout his childhood and teenage years to watch films at the EMD and has fond memories of the cinema.

“I was shocked to hear of the possible demise of the beautiful Granada Cinema in Walthamstow,” he said. “I spent many happy hours there as a child and find it extraordinary that its preservation as a cinema for local people is not a priority in the borough of Waltham Forest. With the recent demise of the dog track and now this news, it seems the protection of the area’s historic and cultural landmarks is in the wrong hands.”

Award winning actress and screenwriter Meera Syal MBE once lived near the cinema and has also offered her support to the campaign.

“I’ve spent many happy hours in this stunningly beautiful building over the years,” said Meera Syal. “The Walthamstow cinema has a rare touch of glamour and it would be an absolute tragedy if the film lovers of east London were to be permanently deprived of this beautiful jewel of a cinema”.

‘Blackadder’ and ‘Time Team’ star Tony Robinson grew up in Leytonstone and was a regular visitor to the EMD throughout his youth. He was mortified to hear about the latest threat to the venue.

“The cinema is an exotic masterpiece,” said Tony Robinson. “It’s where my teenage eyes were opened to the great jazz and rock ‘n roll artists of the 1960s and where I saw a host of great movies. At this exciting time in our history when east London is about to be revitalised, it would be crazy to turn our backs on such a magnificent venue. If not for our sakes, then for the sake of the next generation of film and music lovers, let’s ensure it is given the opportunity to reclaim its place as the hub of Walthamstow’s high-class entertainment”.

TV comedian and presenter Griff Rhys Jones has also thrown his weight behind efforts to save the venue.

The Welsh-born star is currently appearing as Fagin in the musical ‘Oliver’ at Drury Lane but it was in Walthamstow where he first fell in love with the world of entertainment. Griff Rhys Jones grew up in Epping and was a regular visitor to Walthamstow’s cinema where he saw numerous films throughout his childhood.

“We will realise that we have lost something wonderful and magical if this cinema goes and it will only slip away if we don’t raise our voices to stop that happening,” he said. “I am an Epping boy and Walthamstow was my stomping ground. This is a great place and a great place to watch films. These grand cinemas are becoming rarer. They were the cathedrals of their age and still have a role to play”.

Griff Rhys Jones has been joined by actor Paul McGann in pledging his support to the EMD campaign.

“The planning officers should do the right thing and ensure the borough does not lose its last working cinema,” said Paul McGann. “It would be nothing short of a cultural disgrace if this was allowed to happen and would underline why our nearest European neighbours regard us as philistines”.

David Warner is an Emmy-award winning actor with a career spanning more than four decades. His extensive film credits include ‘Star Trek’, ‘Titanic’, ‘The Omen’, ‘Time Bandits’ and ‘Straw Dogs’ and he is well known for his long association with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is calling on local councillors to reject plans to alter the cinema.

“It’s essential for our future that we do not destroy the treasures of our past,” he said. “This building saw the beginning of something we now take for granted – the shared experience of cinema. Please allow it to remain for that purpose – a place of memories and dreams”.

 The writer and philosopher Alain de Botton has also contacted the McGuffin Film Society to express his backing for the EMD. The bestselling author of ‘The Architecture of Happiness’ is a vocal advocate of preserving classic London buildings and he hit the headlines last year after becoming the first writer-in-residence at Heathrow Airport.

“The EMD Cinema was built to promote happiness, culture and entertainment for the benefit of the whole community,” he said. “I fully support the McGuffin campaign to save the cinema and share their wish to see it reopened as a flagship arts venue for east London”.

In addition, David Parfitt – chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) – has issued a statement in support of the venue’s revival.

“The cinema should be at the heart of the community,” he said. “Film is open to all regardless of religion or ethnicity and seeing a great film in a great cinema is one of the best community experiences you can have. Don’t let another great picture palace die”.

Chingford MP and Work and Pensions Minister Iain Duncan Smith has joined Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy in pledging support to the revival of the historic Hoe Street landmark.

“Its time this cinema reopened,” said Iain Duncan Smith. “From my standpoint in Chingford this is our local cinema. With cinema tickets selling at record levels, it would be good for the community and good for Waltham Forest if it was revived”.  

Veteran politician, broadcaster and historian Tony Benn has also sent a message to confirm his opposition to the current UCKG-council plan.

“I offer 100% support against the vandalism that is being planned,” said Tony Benn.

Other supporters of the McGuffin campaign include former London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Alfred Hitchcock’s daughter Patricia.

An Evening Standard news report can be found here.

The consultants report examining options for the future of the EMD Cinema has now been published.

The report examines the revival of the venue as a mixed-use arts facility with full time cinema operations. It also explores how the EMD could function as a joint church-cinema venture.

The consultants report states: the cinema “is probably the single most valuable asset Walthamstow has in terms of potential to create an entertainment and cultural facility that stands out within the Greater London context, is capable of making a big impact in terms of stimulating an attractive evening economy, is capable of providing a venue where the diverse communities in Walthamstow freely mix, and is capable of attracting people from outside of the Borough”.

The consultants also state that a revived EMD would be immensely preferable to a new multiplex.

The report states: “although a new multiplex would assist in giving Walthamstow a night offer, restoration of the Granada is perhaps the only venture that could seriously put Walthamstow on the map as an evening destination”.

The consultants report also confirms that a Compulsory Purchase Order would enable the council to acquire the venue at its current market value which is likely to be in the region of £1.4 million.

The consultants stress that a revived cinema would initially need some capital support but they have identified a wide range of realistic funding sources which would not require council subsidy. They also make clear that cinema operators are already on board and willing to contribute.

 The report can be read in full below…

 J1029_EMD_Cinema_Options_FINAL.

A Waltham Forest Guardian news report can be found here. Comments from Stella Creasy MP can be found here.