Tyneside Cinema staff members' harassment prompts apology

The Tyneside Cinema was closed while the review was carried out

Sexual harassment of female staff at an independent cinema "had persisted for years and was not properly addressed", a report has found.

A review was set up after almost 200 past and present employees of Newcastle's Tyneside Cinema complained about systemic failure to deal with claims of harassment and sexual abuse.

It found disrespectful behaviour had "become normalised and accepted."

The cinema's trustees have offered "profuse apologies" to those affected.

In September, the cinema's chairwoman Lucy Armstrong and chief executive Holli Keeble announced they were stepping down, amid the review into the handling of abuse allegations.

The independent report has now concluded there was "bullying and a lack of respect" and some staff did not feel safe.

Many reported that sexual harassment was well known, and it was "common knowledge that new female staff would be targeted", but it was "known that no-one would listen, and nothing would change" if it was reported.

Although the cinema had made "genuine attempts to resolve matters", these had been, in the main, inadequate.

'Shocked and distressed'

It concluded the board of trustees and senior leadership team had "failed in their duty to protect some of the staff from harm" and had exposed them to "unnecessary hurt, distress and, in some cases, long-term mental health issues".

The cinema's trustees said they had fully co-operated with the review team and were "truly shocked and distressed by its conclusions", and accepted all finding and conclusions.

In a statement, they said: "First and foremost, we apologise profusely to anyone affected currently or previously by the culture and behaviours that have been identified as being systemic at the cinema over the last seven years.

"No one should work at an organisation where they are either unsafe or feel unsafe.

"The cinema has already commenced the process of change and reform - a new interim CEO will be appointed shortly, and the search for a new chair will start immediately."