Demolition of Odeon cinema put to Newcastle Council

Jan 27 2010 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

No enforcement to protect interior

ONCE the Odeon building had been deprived of its listed status, Newcastle City Council was left with no enforcement powers over its interior.

“Once the delisting occurred, I don’t think the council was in a position to play a safeguarding role,” added council executive director of environment and regeneration David Slater.

What had happened to the Odeon was a “tragedy in many ways”.

But he said “Now we have an eyesore and | am not sure we can find a justifiable and alternative use for the building now.

“It is not in the council’s ownership. Buildings have to have uses and if they are not used they become neglected.”

A spokesman for the DCMS said no interim protection is given to buildings while a case is being considered for listing.

“There has been an unfortunate delay in the decision-making process, and this case has taken a lot longer than we would have liked.

“It has been part of a backlog of listing cases but, since it has been drawn to our attention as a priority, we have dealt with it as a matter of urgency. “

An announcement is expected soon.

Building is ideal for a conference centre

THE Odeon building should be transformed into a conference centre instead of being bulldozed, it was claimed yesterday.

The call came from John Matthews, former chairman of the Tyneside committee of the Northumberland and Newcastle Society, who runs a business development consultancy.

He said the building’s city centre location next to shops and hotels, and with easy Metro links, was ideal for the purpose.

He said: “There was still enough of the fabric left when the Odeon moved to The Gate to warrant listing but because this whole issue has taken so long, the building has been stripped.

“We are in danger of losing a part of cinema history. It’s a great shame and I think the city will live to regret this.

“When the relisting issue was still under consideration and no decision had been taken, surely the onus was on the then owners to maintain the building.”

Mr Matthews said it was “incredible” that the DCMS had not made a decision in the last four years and three months.

“The dossier we submitted in 2003 has also not been responded to,” he said.

“We have lost so much from Newcastle and the Odeon building could have been something special.

“But there has been a succession of owners and I imagine anything which wasn’t bolted down was taken away. It’s been trashed.

“It is amazing that nobody saw the potential in the Odeon. In my opinion there has never been support from the city council for its retention.

“The council has never come out and said we want this building kept and we will encourage developers to come up with plans to retain it. It seems they have not wanted to upset any major player.”

Newcastle architectural historian Grace McCombie said that the late 17th Century Alderman Fenwick’s House at the bottom of Pilgrim Street was an example of what could be done with the Odeon.

“It was derelict for many years and people said it was an eyesore and pull it down. But it was restored and look at it now.”