Consultation on rescue plan for century-old cinema

Campaigners are hoping that they will eventually be able to own and run Keighley's Picture House themselves

A public consultation has been launched on the future of Keighley's historic Picture House cinema, after a community campaign to save it from being sold off drew huge support.

The Grade II listed venue, a landmark in Keighley for more than 100 years, was placed on Bradford Council's asset disposal list earlier this year.

But a planned auction was halted after strong public backlash, and since then the town council and campaigners have been exploring ways of safeguarding the building.

Beverly Bottomley, from the Friends of Keighley Picture House, said the ultimate hope was for the community to own the cinema outright and for it to become a "hub" for multiple projects and events.

It was hoped the cinema could be listed as a community asset, with funds initially being sought for Keighley Town Council to buy it outright.

Bradford Council officials at wider City Hall level will make a decision on the local bid later this month.

Launching the consultation, Keighley Town Council said the Picture House was "a historic building and its future as a cinema could be at risk if sold to a private owner".

It added that "local control" would "help ensure the building remains a community asset and entertainment venue".

The community's concerns will be heard at a meeting of Bradford Council next week

However, it also warned that while a community buyout would generate rental income, it also involved loan repayments and potential future costs if the current tenant was to leave.

Surveys into the health of the building have already been carried out, and campaigners have been gathering pledges of financial support as part of a broader fundraising drive.

A petition started by local MP Robbie Moore has gathered more than 5,000 signatures and was presented at the House of Commons last week.

Beverly Bottomley is from the Friends of Keighley Picture House

Ms Bottomley said she and her fellow Friends believed the building had the potential to become a hub for a wide range of groups including Bollywood and Ukrainian film screenings - the first of which is already organised for next week - and the return of a once-popular Saturday morning children's film club.

"We're looking to get as many groups in at the cinema as possible, get people through the door," she said.

"Basically, it's all about using every part of the cinema - and not just for blockbusters, but for every sort of group that wants to get involved.

"It's all about community-based projects and making Keighley's cinema the hub of it.

"It is beautiful enough to stand on its own - it really is - but it has to be used."

She said the Friends continued to run a GoFundMe page to support the project.

Funds raised will go towards upkeep, repairs, modernisation where needed, and - if possible - the long-term goal of outright community ownership.

The Friends group's ultimate ambition is that the town council would purchase the site with public funds, after which the community would gradually buy it back in portions, until it is fully owned outright by local residents, independent of any sort of council involvement.

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