Bradford Pictureville cinema to stay closed over Raac concerns

The National Science and Media Museum's Pictureville will be closed for 'at least' six months

The main cinema at Bradford's National Science and Media museum will remain closed for "at least" six months due to concerns over crumbling concrete.

Pictureville was originally closed in October due to an investigation into Raac, and "fixes" were now being considered, a spokesperson said.

The museum's other two cinemas were already closed due to ongoing work.

A museum spokesperson said it was "working with partners to explore off-site programming options".

'Permanent fixes'

The museum had found a "Raac presence" in the building in September and a subsequent survey had "recommended closure", the spokesperson said.

Raac - reinforced aerated autoclave concrete - is a form of cheap, lightweight concrete that only has a lifespan of about 30 years and is susceptible to structural failure when exposed to moisture.

The spokesperson said: "The National Science and Media Museum's main cinema auditorium - Pictureville - will remain closed for an extended period of at least six months to ensure the safety of staff and visitors.

"Since 20 October, scoping work on remedial options has been ongoing and both remedial and permanent fixes are being investigated."

As well as the Pictureville cinema, the museum also houses what was Europe's first Imax cinema - opened in 1983 - and another screen, the Cubby Broccoli, named after the American movie producer Albert R. Broccoli, famed for many James Bond films.

Both of those cinemas are also temporarily closed while work is carried out at the museum ahead of Bradford's year as UK City of Culture in 2025.