Bradford | Odeon - New Victoria Place | Canc

[Briggsy]

I hope they hurry up and get on with the demolition, Bradford is in need of serious regeneration and the new plans will do that.

IF the Odean had been preserved or had only recently been closed then yes I'd be all for saving it but it hasn't and it's an eye sore the easiest and best thing to do is knock it down and just start over all over again.

I'm not sure why people want it saving it's a complete and utter mess, the re-development will help the Bradford economy move forward all these protests are halting that, just deal with it the decision has been made and it's not going to change the Odean WILL be gone, IF they didn't keep the Twin Towers at Wembley which is a much more bigger Icon there's no way this will stand a chance.

[The Odeon Crusader]

Originally Posted by Briggsy

I hope they hurry up and get on with the demolition, Bradford is in need of serious regeneration and the new plans will do that.

IF the Odean had been preserved or had only recently been closed then yes I'd be all for saving it but it hasn't and it's an eye sore the easiest and best thing to do is knock it down and just start over all over again.

I'm not sure why people want it saving it's a complete and utter mess, the re-development will help the Bradford economy move forward all these protests are halting that, just deal with it the decision has been made and it's not going to change the Odean WILL be gone, IF they didn't keep the Twin Towers at Wembley which is a much more bigger Icon there's no way this will stand a chance.

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Originally Posted by emma72

Although there may be support for the demolition, where is the evidence you talk about? over 2000 letters of objection and 1 of support. Given that this is such a contentious and widely publicised issue in Bradford, then were there any real supporters they would surely write letters of support!

I was just stepping outside of the world of BORG and considering the bigger picture and indeed the possibility that there may be significant support for the demolition of the Odeon. I personally believe that the most likely scenario is that the majority simply couldn’t care less as long as there is change for the better.

The 2,000 objections you refer to supports the argument that there is a large, and active, proportion of Bradford people who do object to its demolition. But i’m sure you’re no fool and understand the concept that those who have something to complain or object to will make themselves heard the loudest, hence the number of objections.

People who are happy to continue with the status quo and let the council make the decisions will not become involved and consequently remain silent. That also includes those who are supportive of the application; they see no need to intervene or become involved.

There is evidence of this and we should be mindful of the fact that there’s a need to be more proactive to gather such views - they need approaching as they will not approach you. I refer to the Inside Out programme for example. One guy was interviewed and his response was:

“It’s a nice building but it’s the past. What is the great fear of knocking it down and starting again?”

The T&A message board is generally a good example of a platform which enable's people to express their displeasure at certain things, however I notice there are still comments of support for the Odeon’s demolition in there. In view of this people’s support for the retention of the Odeon maybe not as large as we all think, or like to think.

It was something I thought worth putting out there and hope you can now see where I was coming from?

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Originally Posted by Briggsy

I hope they hurry up and get on with the demolition, Bradford is in need of serious regeneration and the new plans will do that.

IF the Odean had been preserved or had only recently been closed then yes I'd be all for saving it but it hasn't and it's an eye sore the easiest and best thing to do is knock it down and just start over all over again.

I'm not sure why people want it saving it's a complete and utter mess, the re-development will help the Bradford economy move forward all these protests are halting that, just deal with it the decision has been made and it's not going to change the Odean WILL be gone, IF they didn't keep the Twin Towers at Wembley which is a much more bigger Icon there's no way this will stand a chance.

And here's another example!

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

The two planning applications were both set to be rejected... that was until a legal guy took the R&A Committee into a room and suggested that Yorkshire Forward could sue the Council. The committee were nobbled, and they made a very poor and unpopular decision that was not based on planning grounds, but on unfounded fear. I say unfounded because Yorkshire Forward have since said they never would have sued the Council.

I don’t think you quite understand the planning process Crusader but I do understand the view you are taking.

The two planning applications may have been set for rejection. From what I can tell they would have rejected planning consent on the grounds that the new development would have been detrimental to the conservation area. The problem arose when English Heritage (an extremely well respected group) supported the latest designs claiming it “sat well with the Alhambra” and “respected the conservation area”.

As soon as English Heritage backed the scheme it made life for the planners and the planning committee difficult. There was nothing to stop them from actually refusing the scheme (the number of times members have approved or rejected developments based on non planning grounds is too numerous to mention). However given the significance and cost of this scheme any refusal would most certainly have led to an appeal by the applicants – especially once they had the backing of English Heritage.

An appeal is an extremely costly process and should the appellant win then the council would have had a nice hefty bill to pick up. It was nothing to do with being sued, it was the fear of losing the appeal and paying the substantial costs of it. If the local authority were 100% confident of the grounds they based a refusal on then they wouldn’t have worried about the appeals process – they should have been confident of winning it. The fact they did end up approving the scheme suggests to me that they were not confident with the reasons for refusal. Consequently losing the appeal would have been likely.

This is probably the advice they received when they were taken “into a room”.


Please, please, please direct us towards this support for the Odeon's demolition. After making such a bold statement, one hopes you can quantify it.

Please refer to my earlier response to Emma. I hope this explains my comments.

Unless you can do so I will continue to accept that the outspoken views against demolition are also the majority view...

I respect that as your view but likewise you have no proof that anti-demolition is the majority view. You can prove that there is significant support against demolition that’s all. I’m just being open minded and balanced in my view. I actually support BORGS attempts to prevent demolition of the ODEON – for this current scheme at least. My actual preference is for elements of the Odeon to be retained and incorporated into a 21st century design which surrounds a public square.

[emma72]

My thoughts are that you have to go on the evidence put before you and the evidence is that the majority are apathetic and that there are a significant number of people who are passionately against the demolition but no-one passionately for demolition.

If you consider that the council believed the response to the park at heart questionaire as *HUGE* when they had under 3000 responses, then they have to consider that over 2000 objections against the demolition isn't exactly negligible.

[The Odeon Crusader]

Originally Posted by emma72

My thoughts are that you have to go on the evidence put before you and the evidence is that the majority are apathetic and that there are a significant number of people who are passionately against the demolition but no-one passionately for demolition.

And if we apply that logic to local or general elections, the views of the apathetic who stop at home are discounted - the results are based on those who turn out to vote...

[emma72]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

And if we apply that logic to local or general elections, the views of the apathetic who stop at home are discounted - the results are based on those who turn out to vote...

Absolutely

[The Odeon Crusader]

Here's yet another new Odeon film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKA0xS0N-6Q

I was given some brief clips of interior video footage by BORG to work with when their chap went into the Odeon with the R&A Committee, and here's the result of my hard work. Hope you enjoy it....

The footage of the ticket foyer near the end made me sick - those cut pipes have really done the trick to create a bad first impression to "official" visitors. Good work, Regen Nazis!!!

[emma72]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before but there's some really great work being done by a 'person' or persons known as 'positive bradford' on facebook - they're specifically focusing on saving the odeon at the moment and they're really managing to keep the momentum up (something I've been unable to do with my group!)

Take a look if you can at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...2835219&ref=nf

I think they're the guys that arranged/facilitated the "we are not Zombies" protest and they seem to have lots of other things planned.

With any luck they'll be able to really make enough impact and along with BORG be able to actually save the building (Then they can help save the rest of the City cos I can't seem can't seem to drum up as much support with my group).

[positive bradford]

Ta Emma!

We also have a mint new website.
http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/

I know. Websites are boring and often look grim.

This one is brilliant, promise.

[emma72]

Taken from an email I received from the Save The Odeon facebook group:

Hi everyone,

This Saturday is the big Christmas switch-on in Bradford city centre.

We've been having a bit of a chat and we think it would be absolutely lovely if we held our own ceremony for the decorating and switching on of the Odeon at the same time.

Please be around the square from 5 if you can, and we'll start decorating from 5.30 when the music starts.

Ways we can do this:

- Bring Christmas decorations, tinsel, lights that don't need to be plugged into the mains, and spray snow.
- Bring drawing pins / notice board pins. We don't want to damage the building but those boards are crying out for a bit of decorating.
- If you know / can form a carol-singing choir, that would be awesome. Do it.
- We'll bring some music as well
- Bring a Christmas Card addressed to the Odeon

If we do this, we can publicly show that we love the Odeon and no matter how cold it is outside, or how forlorn and un-pretty it looks at the moment, we want to say Merry Christmas to it.

There will be press there already, because of the ceremony itself, score.

[Dan B]

Meant to upload my photos from the Halloween Protest at the time but my computer died. Those I took around The Odeon & Centenary Square:



























Little attempt at censorship on this last one.

Originally Posted by positive bradford

Ta Emma!

We also have a mint new website.
http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/

I know. Websites are boring and often look grim.

This one is brilliant, promise.

Great site, definitely gives a whole new dimension to the campaign against the Odeon demolition. Didn't make it down to the events listed there due to the aforementioned computer problems amongst other commitments. Certainly saw the aftermath though. I assume it was all spray snow but some of the graffiti had the look of spray paint, and seemed assumed as much by the passing public as I went by. Makes people think you're graffiting the building you're trying to save, even if it is on the concrete bits clonked on top in the 60s. Nevertheless some great grassroots action, keep it up.

[The Odeon Crusader]

BORG's newest Odeon Observer hits the Film Festival this week...

[Dan B]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

BORG's newest Odeon Observer hits the Film Festival this week...

I was hoping the Save The Odeon campaign would target the Film Festival, it being a laughably tragic inconsistency being awarded the UNESCO City of Film with one of the first plans to demolish one of the largest former cinema's in the country, massively important one would think to the city's cinematic heritage. Furthermore is anyone writing letters to UNESCO about this issue? It could be quite an important point to raise which could potentially threaten the City of Film status if UNESCO do indeed care enough about cinematic heritage, which a city really does need to justify, and not with knocking down its last historic city centre cinema.

Might there be further plans to crash the party at the City of Film/Film Festival launch night, bringing it to the attention of those guests? Further demonstrations possibly that stretch between The Odeon and the National Media Museum, being conveniently located very near each other?

Don't think I've heard much recently from the campaign so it would be great if the issue is highlighted again especially at the crucial time where the council's hypocrisy is oh so clear.

Interestingly enough a little bird told me that the National Media Museum were at one stage indeed considering buying up the Odeon building to use for further of its collections. Seems BCR got in the way of that little idea though.

[Dan B]

Noticed the message got across to at least someone at the Film Festival, and a bit more high profile:

Originally Posted by Save Our Odeon

24 / 3 / 10

IMELDA STAUNTON SIGNS ODEON PETITION

A-list actress Imelda Staunton has signed the petition to save the Bradford Odeon.



During her visit to the acclaimed Bradford International Film Festival this week, the Harry Potter and Vera Drake star enquired about the future of the Odeon building. When she heard it was due for demolition asked to sign the petition put together by local people to save the landmark cinema.

Staunton, who plays Defence against the Dark Arts teacher Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenx, was at the celebrated annual film festival in Bradford, the UNESCO City of Film, to take part in a screentalk session at the National Media Museum. She signed the petition after her screentalk, and underneath wrote ‘SAVE IT’.



This story has been sent out as a press release to local and national media.

***

http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/latest-news/

and in the T&A:

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u...for_the_Odeon/

Interesting quote from that article:

Originally Posted by T&A

Richard Killip, spokesman for the Save The Odeon group, said: “It would be all too easy to draw a link between Dolores Umbridge, Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher at Hogwart’s, and the crusade to defend this building from those agencies that have decided they want to demolish it.

“This is a historically important, structurally-sou-nd building.”

Perhaps even more interesting from the Save Our Odeon group is this little scrap of news, quite enlightening to the present situation & circumstances the Odeon's under:

Originally Posted by Save Our Odeon

20 / 3 / 10

PLANNING PERMISSION STILL NOT GRANTED

We spoke to Bradford Council last week and the Local Government Ombudsman. This is where we currently stand:

The replacement building for the Odeon has not been granted planning permission. This is because developers Langtree Artisan have still not signed the contract to continue. Until this happens, the Local Government Ombudsman can’t progress all our complaints.

What you can do:

Write your complaint, if you haven’t already. Save it. When the contract is signed, the Local Government Ombudsman can start investigating the Council. If you’ve sent it already, save it, and re-send it when we let you know it’s time.

***

http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/latest-news/


BORG also recently posted an update that the Odeon Observer would soon be available via pdf and that copies were available outside the NMM during the film festival, presumably being handed out.

http://www.bradfordodeonrescuegroup.co.uk/

Also came across this short overview of the recent Odeon issues in the form of a Zine from Beep! Magazine:

http://issuu.com/beeplucas/docs/odeonzine

Not a bad read but they could do with a proof reader.

[Dan B]

Seems there was some activity at the Film Festival afterall. This was the group that gave out the Odeon Observer outside the Media Museum as mentioned previously:













This from the new facebook group Save Our Odeon:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...d=307432835219


As a result Jenny Agutter also signed the Petition:

Originally Posted by Save Our Odeon

29 / 3 / 10

JENNY AGUTTER SIGNS ODEON PETITION

‘Spooks’ and ‘American Werewolf In London’ actress Jenny Agutter has signed the petition to save the Odeon.

The actress heard about the battle to save the building before her visit to the Bradford International Film Festival, as its star guest on its closing night. Ms Agutter, who was at the festival for a screentalk and a showing of her film The Railway Children, was greeted by Save Our Odeon representatives in film-themed fancy dress, and signed the petition as she left the National Media Museum.

Jenny Agutter is the second film star to sign the petition, after Imelda Staunton’s enthusiastic signing last week.

http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/latest-news/


Perhaps even more importantly, the famed architectural historian Dan Cruickshank has also signed the petition:

Originally Posted by Save Our Odeon

1 / 4 / 10

CELEBRITY ARCHITECTURE EXPERT JOINS ODEON FIGHT

BBC presenter and architectural historian Dan Cruickshank has lent his weight to the fight to save the Odeon building in the centre of the UNESCO City of Film.

The ‘Britain’s Best Buildings’ and ‘Timewatch’ star was in Bradford filming for a new BBC program which invited people to bring their old home movies to be discussed.

Dan first heard about the campaign when members of the Save Our Odeon Facebook group contacted him prior to his visit to the city, to tell him about the public’s battle to save the building. He spoke to other experts at the 20th Century Society and SAVE Britain’s Heritage – both of whom have supported campaigners from the Bradford Odeon Rescue Group – before putting his name to the petition.

He is the third celebrity in a week to have signed the petition, following Imelda Staunton and Jenny Agutter, but the first from the world of architecture as opposed to film. British film director Mike Leigh has also agreed to sign the petition.

http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/latest-news/

It's great to have such a notable architectural expert signing the petition and adding some gravitas to the campaign. The actors so far have boosted this one, with Mike Leigh also adding his support and apparently also Monty Python star Terry Jones has agreed to sign the petition:

Originally Posted by Positive Bradford (via facebook)

Morning all,

Just a quick note to let you know that Monty Python star, and director in his own right, Terry Jones, has been approached to sign the petition by people in this Facebook group and has willingly agreed.

We would like him to do this in person, so will be either asking one of our London-based members to take it to him with our photographer, or will be travelling down to get his signature ourselves.

Terry is our biggest star yet, and was a guest at the film festival last year, so this is wonderful news.

Great celebrity backing and shows the fallacy and hypocrisy of a UNESCO designated City of Film demolishing its last great relic to its cinematic heritage. And a mural to demonstrate it:







http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...d=307432835219

Originally Posted by Save Our Odeon

30 / 3 / 10

THE GREAT HERITAGE ROBBERY – ARTWORK DROPPED OUTSIDE THE ODEON

Early morning commuters were yesterday greeted with an 8ft square piece of artwork depicting the Councillors who did a u-turn on their initial decisions to save the Odeon at the decision meeting in September. The artwork was dropped overnight on the last night of the Bradford International Film Festival.

The artwork parodies The Great Train Robbery poster, and is entitled The Great Heritage Robbery. It is thought to have been painted by Bradford artist CageOne.

CageOne was once on the front page of local paper the Telegraph & Argus, who boobed by advertising a reward for information leading to his arrest after he painted on property in Bradford which the Council had given him permission to decorate. The paper were forced to issue an apology.

http://savetheodeon.wordpress.com/latest-news/



Hmmm, still no Odeon Observer .pdf though. Is this ever gonna be available on the internet? Odeon Crusader?

[The Odeon Crusader]

Hi Dan... Dunno what happened to the PDF of the latest Odeon Observer. I'll highlight it to BORG - speaking of which...

Great news indeed! BORG's Mark Nicholson is standing as an Independent candidate for Clayton and Fairweather Green in the local Council election. What's his main policy? See below...



Interestingly enough, he will be directly up against Cllr David Servant (Conservative), who was one of the "Guilty Five" who approved the demolition of the Odeon last September.

This will be very interesting - Servant deserves to be crushed!!!

[Yorkshire Boy]

Theres a group on Facebook as a kind of pettition to try and get the old Bradford Odeon proposed into an o2 Academy.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119643378064456

Personally, I can't see it happening due to our proximity to Leeds' o2, the future Arena in Leeds and just the lack of confidence in Bradford's local economy. But hey, it's got around 700 members and it was only created today so maybe. If not, I suppose it'll gain publicity for the 'Save the Odeon' campaign and possibly entice any other superclub corporations if it gets popular, but outside of Bradford/West Yorkshire not many people are aware of the decaying Odeon as we all know.

All I can say is good luck to the Odeon, it's gonna need it...

[Harpal]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Boy

Theres a group on Facebook as a kind of pettition to try and get the old Bradford Odeon proposed into an o2 Academy.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119643378064456

Personally, I can't see it happening due to our proximity to Leeds' o2, the future Arena in Leeds and just the lack of confidence in Bradford's local economy. But hey, it's got around 700 members and it was only created today so maybe. If not, I suppose it'll gain publicity for the 'Save the Odeon' campaign and possibly entice any other superclub corporations if it gets popular, but outside of Bradford/West Yorkshire not many people are aware of the decaying Odeon as we all know.

All I can say is good luck to the Odeon, it's gonna need it...

This is a great idea as Bradford could really do with a big concert venue. I just joined the facebook group and there's already nearly 2000 members thats growing daily. I think if it gets to 10000 it may get some big publicity. An O2 academy may be hard to get because of the proximity of the Leeds venue, but I think theres enough people in Bradford to support a big venue. So make sure you join up people.