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Fresh hope for York cinema
12:15pm Monday 21st January 2008
Comments (48)AN INDEPENDENT cinema chain has finally completed its purchase of York's former Odeon picturehouse - clearing the way for a major refurbishment later this year.
The art deco cinema in Blossom Street has lain empty and boarded up since closing its doors to customers in August 2006.
It was shut down by Odeon despite a petition signed by 13,000 readers of The Press, calling for it to be refurbished and stay open.
There seemed very little prospect of it ever reopening as a cinema until independent cinema chain Reel Cinema (UK) Ltd revealed last summer that it was planning to buy the complex and restore it to its former glory.
The company said initially that it hoped to complete the purchase and reopen the cinema to the public during last year's summer holidays, prior to the start of refurbishment work.
But the doors remained closed and it later emerged that the building was in too poor a condition to be able to reopen until after the revamp. Managing director Kailash Suri revealed that vandals had broken in and damaged the main screen and foyer area.
Mr Suri said today that the purchase had been completed and the company would now begin talks with organisations such as City of York Council and English Heritage about how the building was to be refurbished.
He declined to disclose how much Reel paid for the property, although The Press reported in 2006 that the owners were seeking offers in excess of £650,000.
Mr Suri said that problems such as damp meant there was definitely no chance of the cinema reopening until the work was done, but it was possible this could happen some time during 2008.
Reel Cinema's website states: "Reel York opening soon after complete refurbishment," and invites people to apply online for jobs there. But Mr Suri said that details of applicants would simply be logged so that they could be contacted when the cinema was ready to employ staff again.
He has said in the past that the plans might involve dividing up the former three screen cinema into a five screens complex - with the large auditorium being split into two and the existing two screens being turned into three.
He said Reel wanted not to just provide a cinema but a full "cinema-going experience," adding: "We want to make it a magical place."
City of York Council leader Steve Galloway, said: "I am delighted that it's going to reopen. It will add another leisure option for people in the city centre, and I hope that York residents will fully support it and sustain it into the future."
Your Say YourYork Press
dragon1472, york says...
12:23pm Mon 21 Jan 08
jk, york says...
12:31pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Envelopes are brown, @ CYC says...
1:00pm Mon 21 Jan 08
akuma, York says...
1:49pm Mon 21 Jan 08
That said, not sure how they'd get 5 screens in there?
They'd have to be pretty small screens, and you can get tele's that large these days!
DDN, York says...
2:07pm Mon 21 Jan 08
jk, york says...
2:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
2:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Fibbers is fine in as far as it goes for bands doing the circuit trying to get noticed and on their way up, I've seen many great bands there but we have nothing with an atmosphere that could attract big names! COme on people think about it, why bother with another cinema when you can get great live bands coming to the city!
Two minutes walk from the station and mickelgate it's the ideal location! And it's already soundproofed so the nimby's surely can't grumble too much?
Why doesn't the press start a petition for that!
DDN, York says...
2:33pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Tom, York says...
2:34pm Mon 21 Jan 08
SELBYLOU, SELBY says...
2:36pm Mon 21 Jan 08
bjb, York says...
2:39pm Mon 21 Jan 08
I only hope when it is open, that a lot of those that signed the petition will support it, but I am sceptical. It has to be kept alive by demand, not nostalgia.
We sometimes use the City Screen cinema and the attendance is dissapointing.
jk, york says...
2:45pm Mon 21 Jan 08
DDN wrote:Convienient for the majority of us that don't live in the city.
Convenient for who? If you live in the city centre then it's easy to get to the City Screen or Blosson St. You can park for free after 6 on any single yellow in town. Walking is better for you too!
I disagree walking through town at night isn't fun Unless your one of the P*** heads.
Mark, york says...
2:46pm Mon 21 Jan 08
SELBYLOU wrote:LOL!!!
Selbys needs a cinema!
Last time i went to selby it was shut, i used to live there for 25 years and have to say what a sh!t hole it has become since the fu@king miners invaded
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
2:48pm Mon 21 Jan 08
We sometimes use the City Screen cinema and the attendance is dissapointing.
Have to say with the general price of going to the cinema way above what a lot of people earn per earn (on a person to person ratio) can't say I'm surprised, it takes a lot for me to cough up to go to the cinema nowadays, the City Screen is nice, much better than the odeon ever was (in my lifetime thus far) but it's only in an extreme cinematic event Ie Starwars Indiana Jones or something of similar epic proportions that I will bother going any more, I've got a big enough tv and decent stereo system that I don't need to go to the cinema when It will be out on dvd within 6 months anyway.
Die Hard 4.0 being a prime example of a film I'm glad I didn't go to the cinema to see
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
2:49pm Mon 21 Jan 08
akuma, York says...
2:53pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Especailly when a big movie was released.
I remember spending so much time trying to park that I missed the movie.
Either that or go like 3 hours in advance and have a drink in brubakers first, how many of you can remember that!
DDN, York says...
2:56pm Mon 21 Jan 08
And JK, I'm sorry if you feel York is unsafe for you but it's probably one of the safest cities in Britain! And how can the 'majority' of people live outside the city, I'd have thought more people lived in the city?
jk, york says...
2:59pm Mon 21 Jan 08
I prefer to download or copy Films,
Shouldn't admit to it really.As I am aware its illegal.
DDN, York says...
3:02pm Mon 21 Jan 08
DDN, York says...
3:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08
SELBYLOU, SELBY says...
3:22pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Mark wrote:Leave the miners alone....my dad was a miner and so were alot of my friends dads. It was a real shame when they shut down, alot of jobs were lost and alot of familes probably had to deal with finace issues.
SELBYLOU wrote: Selbys needs a cinema!LOL!!! Last time i went to selby it was shut, i used to live there for 25 years and have to say what a sh!t hole it has become since the fu@king miners invaded
Like I keep saying, I would much rather live in Selby than York, more rough holes in York than Selby.
GET A LIFE BEFORE YOU START S1AGING FOLK OFF.
akuma, York says...
3:23pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Leave the miners alone....my dad was a miner and so were alot of my friends dads. It was a real shame when they shut down, alot of jobs were lost and alot of familes probably had to deal with finace issues.
Like I keep saying, I would much rather live in Selby than York, more rough holes in York than Selby.
GET A LIFE BEFORE YOU START S1AGING FOLK OFF.
8.3 rant
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
3:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08
The fact that the City Screen is still open is testament to the fact that it makes a healthy profit
Thanks in no small part to the bars and the venue beneath where there is plenty of live music and comedy nights etc etc, the cinema is itself a complete rip offm and im not specifically targeting the city screen here, all cinemas are a rip off now.
oaklander, York says...
3:31pm Mon 21 Jan 08
I also would like to see the cinema re-run some old classics, I would love to see some of the movies i was too young to see on the big screen again, I wouldnt mind paying a couple of quid to see some clasic bruce lee movies on the big screen.
I would also be nice to have a beer whilst watching the film, I think getting a licence to provide beer would see takings rocket and it would give them the edge over VUE.
jk, york says...
3:32pm Mon 21 Jan 08
akuma, York says...
3:33pm Mon 21 Jan 08
jk, york says...
3:33pm Mon 21 Jan 08
jk, york says...
3:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08
DDN wrote:And JK you shouldn't be driving on the pavements
The old Odeon is outside the city walls? Accepted though, parking at the Odeon is rubbish, but again the City Screen manages without it. What's wrong with walking somewhere anyway? And JK you shouldn't be driving on the pavements.
was that a poor attempt at being witty?
Voice of reason, York says...
3:42pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Maybe, but nuff said about that one, I like the odeon so lets not currupt the story.
Well said sir!
Terrier has a good point about using as a music venue, but I can't see that happening unfortunately.
Guy Fawkes, Bootham says...
3:47pm Mon 21 Jan 08
The fact that the City Screen is still open is testament to the fact that it makes a healthy profit.
And to the fact that it receives a significant amount of taxpayers' cash (e.g. grants from the regional development agency to build the place, or heavily subsidised equipment through the Digital Screen Network).
Littlepoo, Washington, DC (ex pat) says...
3:50pm Mon 21 Jan 08
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
3:50pm Mon 21 Jan 08
Guy Fawkes wrote:And the bar below, and the cafe/bar, quiz nights, comedy nights etc etc it turns a profit because it doesn't limit itself and for that I applaud it. I do go to gigs and stuff when I can down there as it's a nice little atmos and it's not a sweaty pit like fibbers after 10 seconds (although there are times when that's a good laugh, Kasabian being a fine example)
The fact that the City Screen is still open is testament to the fact that it makes a healthy profit.And to the fact that it receives a significant amount of taxpayers' cash (e.g. grants from the regional development agency to build the place, or heavily subsidised equipment through the Digital Screen Network).
GoodramgateTerrier, York says...
3:52pm Mon 21 Jan 08
SELBYLOU, SELBY says...
4:05pm Mon 21 Jan 08
akuma wrote:what?
Leave the miners alone....my dad was a miner and so were alot of my friends dads. It was a real shame when they shut down, alot of jobs were lost and alot of familes probably had to deal with finace issues. Like I keep saying, I would much rather live in Selby than York, more rough holes in York than Selby. GET A LIFE BEFORE YOU START S1AGING FOLK OFF.8.3 rant
Voice of reason, York says...
4:11pm Mon 21 Jan 08
andyb, york says...
4:22pm Mon 21 Jan 08
SELBYLOU wrote:I`m with you there Selbylou, The miners at least brought a bit of fresh money in and a lot of local lads got jobs out of the mines as well. (And they used to go to the Odeon (on topic))
akuma wrote:what?
Leave the miners alone....my dad was a miner and so were alot of my friends dads. It was a real shame when they shut down, alot of jobs were lost and alot of familes probably had to deal with finace issues. Like I keep saying, I would much rather live in Selby than York, more rough holes in York than Selby. GET A LIFE BEFORE YOU START S1AGING FOLK OFF.8.3 rant
bored to tears, Barlby, Selby says...
4:43pm Mon 21 Jan 08
SELBYLOU wrote:HERE HERE!!!!
Selbys needs a cinema!
meme, york says...
4:49pm Mon 21 Jan 08
micky moodies hat, home says...
6:10pm Mon 21 Jan 08
akuma wrote:I remember Forsellius garage before brubakers and the lion amd lamb over the road
Parking was always an issue at the odeon. Especailly when a big movie was released. I remember spending so much time trying to park that I missed the movie. Either that or go like 3 hours in advance and have a drink in brubakers first, how many of you can remember that!
pickle, york says...
6:31pm Mon 21 Jan 08
OB, York says...
7:00pm Mon 21 Jan 08
oaklander wrote:Great point how convenient and great will it be to Pop into Sainsburys Local on Blossom St to avoid those rip off cinema prices when it re-opens. Something you have to put up with at City Screen & Vue. Forget the parking having Sainsburys and a bus stop outside more than makes up for it.
It is good that the odeon (soon to be called somthing else?) is re-opening, I know people winge about parking, but on a weekend i would rather get the bus into town than sit in a traffic jam on the bypass getting to clifton moor. The convenience of having jacksons/sainsburys down the road will make it that you wont have to pay the rip off prices for munchies unlike VUE which unless you've gone up by car and can be bothered with the queing in tescos, the prices for munchies are more than it costs to see the movie. I also would like to see the cinema re-run some old classics, I would love to see some of the movies i was too young to see on the big screen again, I wouldnt mind paying a couple of quid to see some clasic bruce lee movies on the big screen. I would also be nice to have a beer whilst watching the film, I think getting a licence to provide beer would see takings rocket and it would give them the edge over VUE.
The licence idea would be great too.
bjb, York says...
7:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08
The comments of the sister and nature of the piece meant the press had no choice. At least they saw sense in the end.
There may be a chance that some sort of legal action may follow.
I think someone suggested they do the decent thing, and to give them their due, they did. Maybe they will review their policy as to what articles are appropriate to invite comments in future.
Franky, York says...
7:11pm Mon 21 Jan 08
pickle wrote:Exactly, I read that post while it was up. Despicable behaviour by the Press to even run that story in the first place under those circumstances.
I notice the press have finally got a conscience and pulled the comments on the A64 death story. Or is it because a member of the family commented that they didn't give permission for the story to be printed. Either way, the press should now leave the family to grieve in peace. Once again, condolences to the family.
Condolences again to Helen and JAW.
the Butler, Cowichan Bay B.C Canada says...
7:19pm Mon 21 Jan 08
TooRad, york says...
7:20pm Mon 21 Jan 08
We don't need another cinema we need a decent concert venue to bring big music names back to York!
Brilliant suggestion, Terrier! A city without a proper venue doesn't deserve to be called a city.
the Butler, Cowichan Bay B.C Canada says...
7:20pm Mon 21 Jan 08
bjb, York says...
7:28pm Mon 21 Jan 08
the Butler wrote:I remember going to the Rialto to see the Beatles, Roy Orbison, Cilla Black and others. This venue could be used just the same. A mix of movies and music is not impossible, and probably very succesful. If Prendergast could do it then, it could be done now.
The new owners nedd a man of 'Jack prendergast's ability to make a show place of this venue.!!
The boarded cinema in Blossom Street, York
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Franky, York says...
12:20pm Mon 21 Jan 08