Newcastle Odeon Cinema will not have listed status restored

Jan 28 2010 by Tony Henderson and Adrian Pearson, The Journal

The developer is knocking down the building as part of ambitions plans, put together with the council, to transform the East Pilgrim Street area.

Mr Shipley said: “From what I know many of the original features which led to it being listed have been removed, many of which are now in use at the Tyneside Cinema.”

Council offers said they had only been told at 8.45 yesterday morning that the building would definitely not be listed as a result of the owners removing the key features.

A Department for Culture Media and Sport spokesman said: “After careful consideration the Secretary of State has decided not to add the building to the statutory list.

“The Secretary of State has considered the building's architectural interest, but considers the extent of the changes made to the interior to allow for the division of the original auditorium has altered the building to the point where listing is inappropriate.

Last night John Matthews, spokesman for the Northumberland and Newcastle Society, said: “It is nothing we did not expect but the delay has been ridiculous. English Heritage submitted two reports to the effect that the building should be listed. The way this has been handled by the DCMS has been atrocious and inexcusable.”

Mr Matthews said the partitioning of the Odeon auditorium had been cosmetic and easily reversible.

“A lot of the decoration in the cinema had been painted on the walls by artists and there is so much documentary and photographic evidence, plus the fact that fittings have been stored, that the building could be restored if there was the will,” he said.

John Burns, director of Newcastle architects Mackellar said the prospect of re-listing “became less likely after the trashing of the interior”.

He added: “The cinema building is still culturally important and is one of the best surviving examples even in its present condition.”