CHURCH HAS APPLIED FOR CHANGE FO USE OF CP CINEMA

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leaf
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Post by leaf »

Hi Lee

Your title is a little bit misleading as the building in question isnt and wasnt a cinema!!

There is no crystal palace cinema to change into a church!

Sorry to be pedantic...but i just think it confuses the issue of the campaign for a cinema on the site.
Steve Grindlay
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Post by Steve Grindlay »

leaf wrote:There is no crystal palace cinema to change into a church
That's curious, there are certainly some who believe there was a cinema on the site:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/28989/
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

Sorry leaf, you are wrong.

It was a cinema. It opened as the Rialto before being taken over by Granada.

It saysit on the campaign website and the site that Steve has posted. Perhaps you have the buildings mixed up?

For years it was a bingo hall.

A cinema chain wanted to buy it and make it a cinema again but were outbid by a church with very very deep pockets.

Now the owners want to turn it into a church. It has never been a church.

Hopefully it will return to it's original use.
leaf
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Post by leaf »

Ok.....it was last a cinema in 1968

it has been a bingo hall since then until its closure

So i may be wrong in my last post that it wasnt a cinema, point is it hasnt been for over 40 years, so its hardly accurate to call it 'CP cinema'
leaf
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Post by leaf »

Steve Grindlay wrote:
leaf wrote:There is no crystal palace cinema to change into a church
That's curious, there are certainly some who believe there was a cinema on the site:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/28989/
My quote above Steve is correct, there isnt a cinema in crystal palace.

Tho i do stand corrected thanks to your link that there was in fact one there before, it should have been obvious really as lots of those large bingo halls are former cinemas.
Juwlz
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Post by Juwlz »

Yeah… and it should darn well be a cinema again of course … c'mon leaf sign the flipping petition if you haven't already!
Paddy Pantsdown
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Post by Paddy Pantsdown »

Would it be this dodgy lot trying to fleece cash out of their own congregations as well as stealing a public building for private use? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsway_I ... ian_Centre

I always thought Christianity was about giving to the poor - not the rich!

PP
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

Yes leaf you are correct...

you are being pedantic!

;-)

Pedanticness aside, do you think it should become a church or should it return to it's original use, for which it was designer for, and become a cinema once again?

Which will benefit the local area the most?

And yes Paddy, you are correct, it is THAT 'church'. :wink:
Robin Orton
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Post by Robin Orton »

For an alternative perspective, see Roz's comments on the SE23 site:

http://www.se23.com/forum/showthread.ph ... 3#pid19623

and

http://www.se23.com/forum/showthread.ph ... 9#pid20839
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

I don't understand Roz's 'sour grapes' anti church argument.

I'd like something near by that I can use. Something that we don't have many of nearby.

Roz says there are plenty of other buildings near by. Great, let the church use them. Let the cinema be a cinema again.

I don't see 5000 people signing a petition for it to be a church. The good of the local community should come first.
crimson1
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Post by crimson1 »

I agree wholeheartedly with all the sentiments above arguing FOR a cinema to return to CP: it would be great to have our own local cinema to Sydenham, especially one run by the Ritzy group. Is the petition still going? If so where can I find it?

It would certainly revitalise the area if plans for a cinema were to go ahead. It's probably already been pointed out that a lot of film goers are likely to socialise, eat and drink before or after watching movies at restaurants and bars in CP. This, needless to say, would significantly boost the local economy and help the area to thrive. CP really cannot afford to miss out on this opportunity.
sydenhamboy
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Post by sydenhamboy »

http://www.campaign.picture-palace.org/?page_id=43

there's the link. we've all got to sign! A church (by default) must attract a more specific audience (those who wish to worship in one form or another) whereas a cinema transcends religious beliefs/ideologies of any sort - it is for everyone; those 'picture-houses' are also sophisticated places that help promote culture. There are loads of churches everywhere (and I have no issue with that) but relatively speaking there are few local cinemas.

Let's keep the signature coming guys ...
leaf
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Post by leaf »

Hi Lee

Sorry for the late reply.

It would have no use to me as a church.

Possibly as the cinema, but i dont know too much about the type of cinema that they would like to have there? not sure if it would be my type of thing.

I dont get to go to the flicks as much as i used to, mainly i take my children so i would have had more use for the type of cinema that was stopped from being built along thr parade a few yrs back.

I think that the church would serve only a particular section of the community, but i feel an independant cinema would also only serve a particular section of the community too so im just not sure?
Trawlerman
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Church/cinama?

Post by Trawlerman »

Is this the same 'church / sect' that believes that 'God wants you to be rich'...Hmmm...What's that I recall ...something about rich men and eyes of needles?

Well, I think a cinema would be a great idea considering the alternative...a 'church', in effect, devoted to the ideals of the prophetess' Thatcher' !!

Anyway, a new cinema would be a good idea...in the area.
bensonby
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Post by bensonby »

or is that "profitess" ?
Trawlerman
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Church?

Post by Trawlerman »

Profitless profiteroles !!!
The kinematographic potential of Crystal Palace is certainly promising.
downthehill
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Post by downthehill »

The campaign for a cinema now has over 6500 signatures to the online petition.

More importantly objections lodged with Bromley Council against the change of use from a D2 (Assembly and leisure) to a D1 uses (a church) number over 1500.

This is not about being against the KICC as such.

It is about the fact they have chosen to operate from the only building in Crystal Palace that could house a cinema and the fact that City Screen , who own the Ritzy and the Clapham Picture House, actually wanted to buy it.

In addition , whilst the KICC have suggested a (ahem)modest congregation of 500 on a Sunday the building is capable of housing 1150.

They already own another ex cinema in Walthamstow where they are currrently running 6 back to back services for 1000 people per service on a Sunday.

Given that:

(a) the KICC have expressly stated that their aim is to grow their congregation from 12,000 to 25,000
(b) that the CP site is bigger than the one in Walthamstow which can meet the demand of 50% of their total congregation (i.e 6000) and
(c) they intend to draw people to the CP site from as far away as Kent and Surrey

it's only natural that the residents of CP are very anxious about the prospect of having a Walthamstow scenarios on their doorstep.

This is not your small local church - It's a behemoth that has recently tried, but failed, to gain planning permission in Havering for an 8000 seater church. It's heading our way and CP residents want the brakes put firmly on.
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

One other thing of note.

The east london line is coming. Unless there is a reason for people to actually get off the train at Crystal Palace the shops, restaurants and bars will all miss out. People will stay on the train and carry onto shoreditch etc.

A cinema, aside from being a valuable local, social amenity would bring valuable trade to the area (there are a LOT of empty shops in Crystal Palace). People eat out after and before going the cinema or go to a bar etc. Church congregations generally don't do the same (you don't get many cafes or bars clustered about churches!).

Besides, I'd use the cinema. I wouldn't use the church.
Paddy Pantsdown
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Post by Paddy Pantsdown »

Quite right Lee. This is not about 'church' or cinema. It is about impact. A 1150 auditorium is going to have to regularly fill it to make it economic whatever the use.

As a successful local cinema one thousand primarily local people will primarily walk or take public transport as they did when it was a bingo hall. One thousand KICC 'outsiders' will come primarily by car. Parking would be a real problem for all locals as a consequence. Drop offs outside could gridlock the triangle which would isolate TfL's bus terminus (have they objected?). It would have a considerable negative impact on local business as well a residents for no gain. This may be the right building for KICC but in the wrong place.

Lee - has KICC made a case of how that number would impact CP? I presume 500 is a starter to get permission and then they will seek to up it to 1150 capacity. Looks like you need to push for a full 1150 environmental impact now. It ought not to look pretty.

PP
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