Plea for Bradford Odeon wins national support

in News Photograph of the Author By Jo Winrow, City Hall Reporter

A new group bidding to restore the former Odeon cinema in Bradford city centre has received the backing of a national organisation which supports community-owned enterprises.

Bradford One, unveiled last month with the help of the chairman of Civic Voice Griff Rhys Jones, wants to bring the disused building into community ownership and turn it into a music and cultural venue.

Now The Co-operative Enterprise Hub, a service provided by The Co-operative Group, has agreed to assist it with areas such as rules and regulations, membership and fundraising.

A spokesman for Bradford One, said: “This is a very significant announcement for us.

“Our vision for Bradford One is based on the ideas of many of those who have campaigned over the years to save the building from demolition and, that is why choosing a co-operative structure is important to us – it ensures everyone who has shown support can have a say in the future of the building by becoming a member.

“The backing of The Co-operative Enterprise Hub will enable us to develop our business model in a way that allows full participation from the community and also allows us to take advantage of advice and direct support from some of the top professionals in the field.”

Michael Fairclough, The Co-operative’s head of community and co-operative investment, said: “With the general public increasingly concerned for accountability, transparency, and sustainability, enterprises such as this are showing how by working together, communities can tackle some of the unprecedented challenges currently facing our society, environment and economy.”

Bradford One aims to take on the building and develop a plan for restoring the building, while tapping in to grants to allow a feasibility study to be completed. It is hoped that the millions of pounds of funding to develop the building would come from a community share issue; grants, donations and sponsorship; as well as investor funding, borrowing and private equity.

The group’s vision for the building involves a venue for music, cafes and bars, food and shopping, as well as space for arts and cultural activities.

The opportunity to save the 1930s building comes after the Homes and Communities Agency, which owns it, terminated a long-standing legal agreement in September with developer Langtree, which had wanted to demolish the building and build a £40 million New Victoria Place development of offices, a hotel and apartments. Bradford Council is considering an offer from the HCA to take the building on for £1 plus £100,000 of maintenance cash.

Council leader David Green said that consultants were due to be appointed to enable a structural survey to take place before the authority could make the final decision on whether it would take on ownership of the Odeon, which is likely to need substantial sums spent on it before it is brought back into use.

He said: “We have identified the information that we need and will be employing consultants to get us that information.

“That combined with the information already available through the HCA will enable use to identify the risk and opportunities attached to taking over the building.”

Comments(20)

idleone says...
9:04am Sat 1 Dec 12

Excellent news....hope this is the start of positive things for our city.

Report this post »

MontyLeMar says...
10:14am Sat 1 Dec 12

I thought the HCA had got it structurally sound and were giving £100k for 3 years maintenance costs to the council? Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. But I suppose when the council is clueless as to what to do with the building this caution is understandable. They seem to be clueless about a lot of things these days.

Report this post »

Joedavid says...
11:21am Sat 1 Dec 12

MontyLeMar wrote:
I thought the HCA had got it structurally sound and were giving £100k for 3 years maintenance costs to the council? Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. But I suppose when the council is clueless as to what to do with the building this caution is understandable. They seem to be clueless about a lot of things these days.
As I understood the offer to the Council it is £100K for 2 years maintenance to keep it in the state it is now, IE nothing will drop off onto the public below and keeping the rain out.
Major work is needed on one of the towers and the sewer etc. HCA just did safety work more or less and stopped water getting in. Asbestos was removed but this needed to be done even if it were to be demolished.

Report this post »

Joedavid says...
11:23am Sat 1 Dec 12

How does this public Co-op acquire the building?
That's the bit I'm not understanding.

Report this post »

Avro says...
11:37am Sat 1 Dec 12

I dont think they will, but that the Council may own it?

Report this post »

skellett47 says...
11:58am Sat 1 Dec 12

I wouldn't mind betting that they will still be talking about this in another 10 years time, when hopefully it will finally have collapsed. Thus saving more wasted money. I suspect the vast majority do not see this as an iconic building, but a major 'eyesore', that should have been pulled down along time ago. No doubt the vocal minority will prevail yet again. Don't let the Council get involved either. Look what's happened with the infamous 'hole'.

Report this post »

Joedavid says...
12:01pm Sat 1 Dec 12

skellett47 wrote:
I wouldn't mind betting that they will still be talking about this in another 10 years time, when hopefully it will finally have collapsed. Thus saving more wasted money. I suspect the vast majority do not see this as an iconic building, but a major 'eyesore', that should have been pulled down along time ago. No doubt the vocal minority will prevail yet again. Don't let the Council get involved either. Look what's happened with the infamous 'hole'.
So you want a second hole then to match the other?

Report this post »

Avro says...
12:27pm Sat 1 Dec 12

There would proabbaly more interest in the land than as the building stands..

Report this post »

collos25 says...
5:00pm Sat 1 Dec 12

What on earth could you put on the land that would be viable.

Report this post »

Albion. says...
5:11pm Sat 1 Dec 12

collos25 wrote:
What on earth could you put on the land that would be viable.
A Mosque?

Report this post »

pitboss says...
7:17pm Sat 1 Dec 12

Many a true word.......

Report this post »

bcfc1903 says...
12:10am Sun 2 Dec 12

The Odeon building should be refurbished and made into a world class concert and conference hall..it really is a no brainer, it would bring cash and footfall into Bradford City Centre so just maybe Bradford Council will see the light. Call it the Delius, Rothenstein and Wolfe as a tribute to the German community that did so much to build Bradford into an importent city.

Report this post »

alfucham says...
3:04am Sun 2 Dec 12

bcfc1903 wrote:
The Odeon building should be refurbished and made into a world class concert and conference hall..it really is a no brainer, it would bring cash and footfall into Bradford City Centre so just maybe Bradford Council will see the light. Call it the Delius, Rothenstein and Wolfe as a tribute to the German community that did so much to build Bradford into an importent city.
Or name it after Lingards as a memory to what germans did to bradford 70 years ago.

Lest we forget

Report this post »

Whoisevans? says...
6:56pm Sun 2 Dec 12

Anyone who thinks that it is a waste or not a viable project look no further than the Alhambra, It was considered a white Elephant when first done it cost something in the region of 5 million pounds to do and it is without doubt the most beautiful building in Bradford and now making money. Now that the BBC are pulling out of the Film and Media Museum what better venue for the Museum than the refurbished Odeon. The Old Museum building could be sold or rented to pay the cost of saving Bradfords Jewel in it's Crown.

Report this post »

bcfc1903 says...
8:26pm Sun 2 Dec 12

alfucham wrote:
bcfc1903 wrote:
The Odeon building should be refurbished and made into a world class concert and conference hall..it really is a no brainer, it would bring cash and footfall into Bradford City Centre so just maybe Bradford Council will see the light. Call it the Delius, Rothenstein and Wolfe as a tribute to the German community that did so much to build Bradford into an importent city.
Or name it after Lingards as a memory to what germans did to bradford 70 years ago.

Lest we forget
Most of the Germans who settled in Bradford were jewish you moron.

Report this post »

bcfc1903 says...
1:37pm Mon 3 Dec 12

Whoisevans? wrote:
Anyone who thinks that it is a waste or not a viable project look no further than the Alhambra, It was considered a white Elephant when first done it cost something in the region of 5 million pounds to do and it is without doubt the most beautiful building in Bradford and now making money. Now that the BBC are pulling out of the Film and Media Museum what better venue for the Museum than the refurbished Odeon. The Old Museum building could be sold or rented to pay the cost of saving Bradfords Jewel in it's Crown.
I agree about the Alhambra but not about moving the Media Museum, i believe the BBC will be back in the city if they ever actually go through with closing their city studio. Make the Odeon into a world class Concert and Conference hall...capacity of 3,000/3,500 would be ample. Calling it the Delius, Rothenstein and Wolfe which would be a fitting tribute to those fine German migrants, mostly Jewish who played a big part in Bradford becoming a major city. There would be then two jewels in the city crown.

Report this post »

sam-tyler says...
3:43pm Mon 3 Dec 12

collos25 wrote:
What on earth could you put on the land that would be viable.
A car park for the Alhambra.

Report this post »

ravacity says...
4:48pm Mon 3 Dec 12

why are the co op getting invoved in this,they managed to close sunwin house,sold sunwin motors,closed the distribution centre at dudley hill and now with the merger of thomas cook and co op travel, thomas cooks bradford head office will move to the co ops offices in altrincham

Report this post »

Joedavid says...
5:16pm Mon 3 Dec 12

ravacity wrote:
why are the co op getting invoved in this,they managed to close sunwin house,sold sunwin motors,closed the distribution centre at dudley hill and now with the merger of thomas cook and co op travel, thomas cooks bradford head office will move to the co ops offices in altrincham
Not sure about what you say about Sunwin Motors I think that was just a name change Cooperative Group or similar.
As regards travel it is complex I would think who took over whom or which parts, aren't the shops to be rebranded as Cooperative Travel?

Report this post »

bcfc1903 says...
9:07pm Mon 3 Dec 12

Have to agree about the Coop closing Sunwin House down...why on earth did they shut that superb store down...it was making money... alot of money...One of the strangest decisions i've ever heard of....for a firm to have cornered the market in department stores in Bradford..then to shut it's store really does beggar belief....

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree