Fight to save Art Deco cinema hidden above Bristol pub

Local people are hoping to restore the cinema to its former glory

Campaigners are pushing to save an Art Deco cinema that is "hidden" above a local pub in Bristol.

Save Redfield Cinema want the historic picture house, which closed in 1961, "restored for the local community".

The owners of St George's Hall, JD Wetherspoon, recently closed the pub and developers Landrose has advertised it as a housing investment opportunity.

Campaign founder Paul Burke, 45, said: "If no one says anything it's just going to vanish."

Mr Burke said the developers, Landrose, already own a large building in Lawrence Hill which was "much more suitable for housing"

The cinema first opened as the Electric Palace, a silent movie theatre, in 1912. It reopened in 1927 as the Granada cinema with seating for 750 and a full orchestra, before closing down in 1961 to become a bingo hall.

The site was bought by JD Wetherspoon and turned into a pub in 1998.

60 years after it closed residents say the cinema would be very busy if it was restored and reopened

Mr Burke was surprised to hear from a friend the cinema still existed and was mostly intact, including its seating and a big Art Deco ceiling in "perfect condition".

"You go up to the balcony area where the original seats still are and it looks like they haven't been touched since 1961, there's layers of dust on them.

"And it's just got that magical feeling that I remember as a kid when you'd go to the big old cinemas. You just know there were thousands of stories told in there," he said.

Campaigners have expressed concerns about whether there would be enough space for 40 more households, including parking

Landrose housing developers has advertised an investment opportunity for 40 flats on the site, although it does not yet own it.

Mr Burke said he was not against the idea of housing but said: "There's already been quite a lot of development in the area. It's a big site. Why not have some accommodation there and the cinema space?"

He said local support to restore the original venue had been overwhelming.

"Everybody is just seeing it as an opportunity for a community space. It could be used for so much," he added.

The Art Deco ceiling is mostly intact

Pam Randall remembers going to the Granada cinema every Saturday evening in the late 1950s. Mrs Randall said she wanted the cinema to be restored because "everything is being turned into flats. There's hardly anything for youngsters anyway".

Resident Lizzie Murray said: "I really think Redfield would benefit from keeping these gems of the past rather than destroying them for more flats or coffee shops. I'd be so thrilled to see it returned to its former glory."

Local resident Pam Randall said the cost of a ticket at Granada Cinema was two shillings and was "very ornate and fancy"

Labour MP for Bristol West Thangam Debbonaire has also offered her support.

She said: "From what I have seen, this could be a fantastic addition to Bristol's independent culture and unique nightlife, on one of our lively local high streets."

Mr Burke said community cinemas could offer more than just films: "That's outreach to schools, it's doing workshops, it's doing training. Competitions, festivals. You could run all sorts of events in that space."

He said neighbourhoods need "places where diversity can mix and people can express their stories".

"Of course we need affordable housing, but we need homes and that means neighbourhood, that means community, it means things to do that aren't just shops," he added.

The cinema seating is still in place

Patrick Hart, a spokesperson for Landrose, said: "The whole idea is about providing accommodation at a time when we have a housing crisis. It's about being affordable and being on a main bus route in and out of the centre.

"It's about listening to what local people would like but also about being realistic."

He suggested that a pub might remain and said the company was open to discussing options with residents.