Bradford West Lib Dem calls to demolish Odeon but include towers in replacement (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Bradford West Lib Dem calls to demolish Odeon but include towers in replacement
7:00am Friday 16th March 2012 in News
Exclusive By James Rush, T&A Reporter
MP Greg Mulholland, MP David West, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland and MP Ian Swales at The Odeon
Politicians battling to win the Bradford West by-election today weighed into the debate about Bradford’s crumbling former Odeon with one declaring “get a move on and demolish it”.
Liberal Democrat candidate, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, joined Bradford East Lib Dem MP David Ward in demanding officials “get a grip” on the development of the site following an exclusive report in the Telegraph & Argus this week about the building’s rapidly-deteriorating structural state.
Coun Sunderland released a three-point plan to accept the inevitable and demolish the building, sign a legal agreement to remove all remaining hurdles to redevelopment and, more controversially, ensure what is subsequently built on the site should incorporate a re-creation of The Odeon towers.
She said: “This site is an embarrassment, and worse, we now read it has become dangerous.
“Labour and the Tories have been holding meetings about the Odeon behind closed doors for over a decade. It’s now time for someone to get a grip on proceedings before it gets even more embarrassing.”
Councillor Imran Hussain, the Council’s deputy leader who is trying to retain the Bradford West seat for Labour, said: “The Tories and Lib Dems had ten years to sort out the Odeon building but instead they neglected it and allowed it to fall into ruin.
“If I’m elected as MP I will work tirelessly to make sure that process reaches a positive conclusion as quickly as possible.”
Conservative candidate Jackie Whiteley said: “The Odeon is a Bradford landmark but the current derelict state of the site is not acceptable to anyone. What we need is strong leadership and I would campaign to get this project moving forward with urgency.”
Respect candidate George Galloway said: “I, for one, want the plans to demolish the building abandoned and money immediately sought from Government and elsewhere to restore and regenerate this beautiful and historic building.”
Green Party candidate Dawud Islam said: “I feel it should be redesigned and regenerated into something that the residents of Bradford can be proud of.”
Neil Craig, who is standing for the Democratic Nationalists, said: “It should be kept – it should be modernised and renovated.”
Alan Hope, representing the Monster Raving Loony Party, said: “It can be retained and it can be returned to its former glory – sell it to Tim Martin and turn it into a Wetherspoons.”
Sonja McNally, standing for UKIP, said: “As someone who has been in the past an usherette at the Odeon, for me the Odeon is part of Bradford and it belongs to the people of Bradford and it’s up to them to make the decision.”
Comments(32)
old pecker
says...
10:38am Fri 16 Mar 12
vax2002
says...
10:52am Fri 16 Mar 12
It has become a bottomless money pit that would be better spent elsewhere.
mark04
says...
11:10am Fri 16 Mar 12
Joedavid
says...
11:13am Fri 16 Mar 12
Yes just like Westfield.
Wakeywakey
says...
11:23am Fri 16 Mar 12
The whole election is just a matter of going through the motions?
flogem
says...
11:53am Fri 16 Mar 12
should use the slogan
"Intergrate not Alienate"
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
12:00pm Fri 16 Mar 12
Wait a minute, your a councillor, your the leader of lib dems who have been jointly running the council, stop laying the blame on someone else.
angry bradfordian
says...
12:06pm Fri 16 Mar 12
At least we've got some evidence of the T&A's stance on the subject now!
I was thinking of voting LibDem, but this is the final straw that's swung me away from voting for her.
Albion.
says...
12:07pm Fri 16 Mar 12
flogem wrote:Are they allowed to miss spell slogans?
The next MP for bradford west
should use the slogan
"Intergrate not Alienate"
Patrick Bateman
says...
12:17pm Fri 16 Mar 12
flogem wrote:Why not 'Integrate or Emigrate'?
The next MP for bradford west
should use the slogan
"Intergrate not Alienate"
Patrick Bateman
says...
12:20pm Fri 16 Mar 12
mark04 wrote:Agreed. Suddenly people seem to be falling over themselves to pledge their concern over the building. Funny that..
For whatever reasons I do think the stance George Galloway is taking will help to highlight what has gone on over the years and maybe bring Bradford Council to there senses over the Odeon.
Avro
says...
12:21pm Fri 16 Mar 12
ctm
says...
12:37pm Fri 16 Mar 12
nowt fresh
says...
12:49pm Fri 16 Mar 12
ctm wrote:MP Greg Mulholland, MP David West, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland and MP Ian Swales at The Odeon
As the photo at the top of the article demonstrates perfectly, no amount of face lifting will fix some things :-)
Didn't think they look too bad for their age
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
1:00pm Fri 16 Mar 12
nowt fresh wrote:I don't think life on the gravy train would be too stressful.
ctm wrote: As the photo at the top of the article demonstrates perfectly, no amount of face lifting will fix some things :-)MP Greg Mulholland, MP David West, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland and MP Ian Swales at The Odeon Didn't think they look too bad for their age
idleone
says...
1:05pm Fri 16 Mar 12
Clowny
says...
1:16pm Fri 16 Mar 12
Patrick Bateman wrote:Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labour have all collectively failed to once speak up for the Odeon, even John Pennington only did so until he became a councillor, so not one of them deserves to be believed on this as they are simply copying Galloway.
mark04 wrote:Agreed. Suddenly people seem to be falling over themselves to pledge their concern over the building. Funny that..
For whatever reasons I do think the stance George Galloway is taking will help to highlight what has gone on over the years and maybe bring Bradford Council to there senses over the Odeon.
.
I hope people remember before voting that Councillor Jeanette Sunderland backed, not just backed but was fully behind the change to fortnightly bin collections, the Lib Dems deserve to lose seats over backing the removal of council services before they even look at cut backs they could make themselves like doing without free parking in the city centre.
JAtkinson
says...
1:31pm Fri 16 Mar 12
We shouldn’t look to for reasons to destroy the Odeon but look for reasons to save it... and there are a plethora! The big question is what to do with a renovated, revamped Odeon. Who would take it on and what do we Bradfordians want there? What would Bradfordians and beyond support in numbers high enough to make it economical?
I’d love to see a revamped Odeon but I don’t know what or who would be in it.
Aesthetically speaking, it should be saved... but we don’t live in a time that values aesthetics alone.
mark04
says...
4:28pm Fri 16 Mar 12
MontyLeMar
says...
4:54pm Fri 16 Mar 12
pjl20
says...
6:20pm Fri 16 Mar 12
She has even worked in the Odeon - so her view is based upon practical experience.
AidyF
says...
3:05am Sat 17 Mar 12
BCR worked hand in hand with the Odeon for years, who was a member of that BCR board? Ian Greenwood, Leader of Labour & Bradford Council. Either Mr Hussain is very forgetful (on an issue like this, you'd think the deputy would know what the leader had been doing) or is telling a bare faced lie. Shame on him.
AidyF
says...
3:08am Sat 17 Mar 12
Making political capital is utterly pathetic.
reneeh1
says...
12:48pm Sat 17 Mar 12
Joedavid
says...
1:01pm Sat 17 Mar 12
reneeh1 wrote:You got a good piont, should anyone who is on the Council now be put back?
I will not be voting again for anyone who is now against saving the Odeon. I know I am only one voter but maybe others will follow. Progress is fine but not desecration of what was once a beautiful building..We do not need more office blocks or flats there are plenty of old derelict mills that can be renovated for that purpose just round the corner, or are they to be pulled down for more car parks?
still got a pulse
says...
12:21am Mon 19 Mar 12
reneeh1 wrote:You are NOT alone!
I will not be voting again for anyone who is now against saving the Odeon. I know I am only one voter but maybe others will follow. Progress is fine but not desecration of what was once a beautiful building..We do not need more office blocks or flats there are plenty of old derelict mills that can be renovated for that purpose just round the corner, or are they to be pulled down for more car parks?
The Odeon must not be demolished. All arguments regarding asbestos are totally irrelevant as the cost of dealing with this is inherent in any scheme. I would propose moving the media museum into this building, after suitable adaptations/conversi
ons, as per BORG's proposed vision. As for the council, this issue has been a complete "hen's down" from day one, when the odeon moved out. Give councilors a free bus pass and stuff the free parking "perk", let them see what the real voters have to suffer on a daily basis. As for George Galloway, I have never had much time for him, but he "may" be an asset to the cause, or just another vote grabber. If so, then obviously the odeon is a hot topic for votes, so, yes your vote obviously counts!
reneeh1
says...
10:07am Tue 20 Mar 12
still got a pulse
says...
1:43am Wed 21 Mar 12
JAtkinson wrote:Amen to that! Regardless of future use, the building should remain!
Imagine looking out over the mirror pool and seeing City Hall, the Alhambra and the Odeon resplendent. Which cities have anything comparable right at their heart?
We shouldn’t look to for reasons to destroy the Odeon but look for reasons to save it... and there are a plethora! The big question is what to do with a renovated, revamped Odeon. Who would take it on and what do we Bradfordians want there? What would Bradfordians and beyond support in numbers high enough to make it economical?
I’d love to see a revamped Odeon but I don’t know what or who would be in it.
Aesthetically speaking, it should be saved... but we don’t live in a time that values aesthetics alone.
pjl20
says...
6:18pm Sat 24 Mar 12
George Galloway is around four years too late with his proposal. At least the building is still standing and is capable of being saved and restored to commercial use.
reneeh1
says...
12:32am Sun 25 Mar 12
pukkap
says...
8:16pm Sun 25 Mar 12
mark04 says...
10:37am Fri 16 Mar 12