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Monday, 19 November 2018
WHAT? NO ODEON?
ESSA is an excellent residents association and does outstanding work. A great pity the recent newsletter did little to focus on the deliberate dilapidation of the magnificent Art Deco Odeon cinema.
The Committee fought this demolition job tooth and nail. They are all too exhausted to carry on. And anyway, what is the point? Resident Associations cannot compete with developer backhanders to Hornton Street
The dream is that The Kensington (Odeon) site could become an arts centre for West London.
As readers know, this was Alfred Hitchcock's local cinema and was built in 1926. The entire original interior existed intact under modern shop fittings until the auditorium was demolished in an act of vandalism by the owners Minerva - Delancey 2 years ago now .....and for what ? An empty site intended for yet more luxury flats for which there is no market.....
It beggars belief that such an important building should be destroyed in this way but what is worse is that it was an economically viable cinema (which supported local businesses with a footfall of up to 750,000 people per annum ) was killed off because of the wilful negligence of Historic England and the complicity of the old regime at Hornton Street (spearheaded by Daniel Moylan who enjoyed rather too much hospitality from the developer's communications company - Terrapin)
What is left of this building is loved by the local community, with almost 30,000 signatures ( equivalent to half the adult population of the borough ) who wrote to save it and with the support of almost every British Film star and celebrity, local amenity societies , the BFI and senior members of the Royal Family
I worked out a feasibility study with Charcoal Blue, one of the world's leading Theatre Consultants, and the result was that on this site we could have a 1100 seat main theatre, with a fly tower for theatre, opera, concerts and film premieres. This would double as a recording and broadcast space. There would also be a 450 seat studio theatre, a rehearsal studio, 4 cinemas to the basement ( which Curzon have already asked to operate ), a bar, restaurant and a green roof. The Academy of St Martins in the Fields have asked if this could be their home ( imagine that - our own orchestra ) and space for community theatre and classes opposite the design museum ( who also support this idea ) creating a design hub which would be such a wonderful economic driver for the high street...... The adjacent post office site could be an hotel , apartments and arcade for niche shops and accommodate social housing. OR YET MORE OVERPRICED LUXURY FLATS - which we are not short of........ Just a thought - but perhaps a better one than what the current owner's propose...... Guy Oliver The Friends of The Kensington (Odeon)
A good time to relaunch Guy's project. The politicians have a mess on their hands. The project is stalled. There is an eyesore on Kensington High Street.
Guy can give them a way out. Face saving initiative. The Officers can keep their brown envelopes.
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The Committee fought this demolition job tooth and nail. They are all too exhausted to carry on. And anyway, what is the point? Resident Associations cannot compete with developer backhanders to Hornton Street
ReplyDeleteGuy Oliver did more than anyone to save it and is still fighting 'tooth and nail'.
ReplyDeleteSorry 11:50...you have to keep fighting.
JD: could you provide a link so that I could remind myself. What is the end purpose for this venue? A viable Cinemagraph?
ReplyDeleteBoris, I will ask the Dame to provide a link...it's a mixed use development with an emphasis on art related usage.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Boris,
ReplyDeleteThe dream is that The Kensington (Odeon) site could become an arts centre for West London.
As readers know, this was Alfred Hitchcock's local cinema and was built in 1926. The entire original interior existed intact under modern shop fittings until the auditorium was demolished in an act of vandalism by the owners Minerva - Delancey 2 years ago now .....and for what ? An empty site intended for yet more luxury flats for which there is no market.....
It beggars belief that such an important building should be destroyed in this way but what is worse is that it was an economically viable cinema (which supported local businesses
with a footfall of up to 750,000 people per annum ) was killed off because of the wilful negligence of Historic England and the complicity of the old regime at Hornton Street (spearheaded by Daniel Moylan who enjoyed rather too much hospitality from the developer's communications company - Terrapin)
What is left of this building is loved by the local community, with almost 30,000 signatures ( equivalent to half the adult population of the borough ) who wrote to save it and with the support of almost every British Film star and celebrity, local amenity societies , the BFI and senior members of the Royal Family
I worked out a feasibility study with Charcoal Blue, one of the world's leading Theatre Consultants, and the result was that on this site we could have a 1100 seat main theatre, with a fly tower for theatre, opera, concerts and film premieres. This would double as a recording and broadcast space. There would also be a 450 seat studio theatre, a rehearsal studio, 4 cinemas to the basement ( which Curzon have already asked to operate ), a bar, restaurant and a green roof. The Academy of St Martins in the Fields have asked if this could be their home
( imagine that - our own orchestra ) and space for community theatre and classes opposite the design museum ( who also support this idea ) creating a design hub which would be such a wonderful economic driver for the high street......
The adjacent post office site could be an hotel , apartments and arcade for niche shops and accommodate social housing.
OR
YET MORE OVERPRICED LUXURY FLATS - which we are not short of........
Just a thought - but perhaps a better one than what the current owner's propose......
Guy Oliver
The Friends of The Kensington (Odeon)
Dont give up Guy. You will get there in the end.
DeleteGuy, thank you - Your plans are wonderful and just what we need in RBKC, this moment must not be missed, what can we do to help?
DeleteRBKC doesn't want or need a landscape of ultra high net worth empty properties, its just not fair.
Guy has described a project we should all get behind....
ReplyDeleteA good time to relaunch Guy's project. The politicians have a mess on their hands. The project is stalled. There is an eyesore on Kensington High Street.
ReplyDeleteGuy can give them a way out. Face saving initiative. The Officers can keep their brown envelopes.