Old cinema fails to see the light side of advertising board... Complaint to council over threatened view
THE owner of a historic Birmingham cinema is demanding the council drop plans to place an unsightly advertising board outside building.
A lamppost was erected outside The Electric cinema in Station Street 18 months ago which owner Thomas Lawes said has already ruined the view of the building for photographers.
He asked for it to be moved but now the council has revealed plans to rub salt into the wound with advertisement banners on the same lamppost and two others. Mr Lawes said this will block even more of the view even.
As the UK’s oldest working cinema, The Electric is a popular draw for tourists but has also been used as a location for filming and the backdrop to marital photos as the venue holds a wedding licence.
Mr Lawes said: “We host loads of weddings and people love coming to have their photos taken outside of the cinema.
“You can take a photograph of the cinema close up but you can’t take any pictures from further back.
“The lamppost was put in overnight around the time the new station opened and we came in the next day and thought, ‘you are joking’.
“When the station opened, we were promised shops and a café culture outside but the new station has not made the slightest difference.
“The situation is starting to get really frustrating and, to add insult to injury, the valuation office have just increased our business rates by 300 per cent, which is certainly the largest for any cinema.”
In a letter to the council opposing the planning application, Mr Lawes added: “Since completion of Grand Central, we have campaigned for the relocation of a lamppost which was placed without any local business consultation.
“The light only needs to be moved one metre further up the street to avoid blocking the view but, despite complaining to BCC Highways ourselves and even lobbying through the Southside Business Improvement District by Councillor Penny Holbrook, the obstruction remains.
“Any advertising banner will make this situation even worse so, clearly, we object in the strongest terms.”
Birmingham City Council said: “We cannot comment on advertisement applications which are currently being assessed, however, any comments made via the council’s website prior to the determination of this application will be considered as part of the process.”