Thank you for your invitation to comment on the potential listing of The Electric Cinema. I am submitting the following comments on behalf of all those supporting the 'Save the Electric Cinema' campaign group which currently stands at over 1400 members.
As the number of members suggests the Electric Cinema is a building of great significance, not simply historically or culturally but also personally for a variety of reasons. The Electric Cinema was, as the Consultation report states, the oldest working cinema in the UK until its closure on 29th February 2024. The closure of the Electric caused an uproar, as did its closure during the covid pandemic due to on-going lease issues the result of which is the only reason it closed earlier this year. The closure of a cinema under normal circumstances would not generate such strength of feeling however, the closure of a cinema that is held in such high esteem as the Electric has bought to the forefront an much bigger issue at the heart of Birmingham's cultural scene. The threat of the loss of Birmingham's identity.
Birmingham is a city that is constantly evolving, a city known as an arts and cultural hub. In recent years our city's history and identity has gained significant interest as a result of programmes created by Steven Knight such as The Peaky Blinders and more recently This Town. The latter highlighted an issue that our city has faced for a number of years and that is the loss of our iconic buildings. For the filming for the series This Town a number of locations had to be substituted due to the loss of so many buildings within the last 40 years. It would be fair to say that Birmingham has become unrecognisable with a distinct lack of continuity of the past.
Every city has a skyline, buildings that form its identity, that make each city a destination to tourists and a community to locals. Earlier this century one of the most iconic buildings of our city was under threat of demolition, The Rotunda. It hard to believe today that a building so key to our skyline could have fallen foul of the infamous Birmingham Bulldozer. Thankfully sense prevailed and as a result of listed status The Rotunda was saved and continues to be a part of our city's heritage, identity and future. Like the Rotunda the Electric Cinema needs listed status in order to be protected from developers intent on destroying more of Birmingham's history and the community that surrounds it.
The Electric Cinema was, until it's closure, at the heart of Birmingham's cultural scene. It has been the venue of events such as the Flatpack Festival, numerous weddings, used as a film location, and by many arts students from surrounding educational settings due to it's history and cultural significance. It also has a wider community of film lovers at its heart, the cinema offered a successful membership scheme and was the only cinema to show 35mm films within the region. It is this community that has seen the Electric Cinema's popularity increase over recent years which is evident by the 21,000 signatures on the 'Save Station Street' petition that began following its closure. As a region we are blessed with a number of independent cinema's however, none can boast the character, history or originality of the Electric Cinema.
It is this that makes it a key contributor to Birmingham's heritage and culture and a part of a bigger picture in the shape of Station Street itself. Station Street already contains two listed buildings The Old Rep and The Crown pub. Like these two buildings The Electric Cinema is a piece of our history that needs to be preserved and the only way of protecting the history of Birmingham is by gaining listed status. Station street is a small but significant street representative of our city's architectural history. It is a street reflective of two world wars, pandemics, recessions, changes within society and throughout all this The Electric has survived and stood tall. It would be a crime to allow a building that's purpose has not changed in over 100 years despite audience trends to be lost to development at time when it's existence enriches the lives of the community around it.
Due to the nature of the world we live in today venues like the Electric Cinema are under constant threat by developers keen to put profit over community. The Electric Cinema is a completely unique building with not just original features but a heart and soul that has served millions of people in the past 115 years and deserves a place in future generations life experiences as well as those past. The listing of this hugely significant and loved building would protect it and allow it to become part of a much bigger picture more beneficial to Birmingham and the UK overall if restored and not remodelled. Below I have inserted a link to a youtube video highlighting the importance of the cinema, our vision of what a listed Electric Cinema would be a part of and a link to our website for your information.
Withstanding the test of time – The Electric –
Our Vision – The Sabbath Quater –
https://savetheelectriccinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sabbath-Quarter-Birmingham.pdf
Who we are –
https://savetheelectriccinema.com/
I would like to thank you for your time in reading 'Save the Electric Cinema's response to the consultation report and hope the outcome of the consultation is the correct decision for the city of Birmingham's future.
Kind regards
Zoe Bond-Pinner
On behalf of 'Save the Electric Cinema'
