GALLERY- October 2004

We have received some photographs of a demolition in progress at the Kennington Regal/Granada, demolished for housing July – October 2004. Costain, the builder, has the contract to build housing on the site, so they employed a demolition firm with a schedule of twelve weeks to level the site. PAUL MIDDLETON, who works for Costain, took the opportunity to photograph the building as it came down. He was saddened to see such a fine and well-built place go, though, as he admits, they have outlived their usefulness. It is through his forethought and kindness in letting us use them that they are displayed here. More details about the Cinema can be found at the bottom of the page.

There is also a scan from the Bradford telegraph & Argus regarding the fate of the New Victoria/Odeon which appears to be having its exterior cleaned up... in advance of demolition in a couple of years time. You couldn't make it up.....!

The local cinema historian, Colin Sutton, reports that there are several errors in the newspaper articles below due to inaccurate press reporting.  For example, all the costs quoted include a significant amount for opening up the Bradford Beck as a water feature at this point - very controversial locally and the voting public were not made aware of this detail. The former cinema building is now looking very impressive in the autumn sun as its budget clean-up continues after many complaints about its neglect.

He has compiled a detailed history of the building and its many usages, as well as other Cinemas in Bradford, Shipley and Baildon.. This can be found at: http://www.kingsdr.demon.co.uk/cinemas/newvic.htm

The view towards the Kennington stage.....

.....and the complimentary view towards the circle. Note the lack of projection ports in the rear wall (presumably covered over), the added staircase for Bingo and the recovered toilets!

View of the front of house area from the fly tower in the late stages of demolition.

View of Stage right flys. The gallery high up is not the fly floor - it's the loading gallery - the counterweights would have been operated from stage level.

Two more views of the auditorium during strip-out. In the space of three days between these two photographs the heap of wood in the middle of the stalls has got quite a bit bigger.

A brief history of the Cinema can be found towards the bottom of the page after the Bradford Odeon article.

EXPERTS' VIEW OF THE CINEMA
What the consultants have told Bradford Centre Regeneration about the state of the Odeon: "The structural steelwork of the Odeon is embedded within the walls and Is Integral to the structure of the building. It has become severely corroded, as can be seen by the straight line cracking through the external facade of the building. "Under modern design codes, structural steelwork would have a limited life span of 5O years without maintenance, depending on the protective systems employed. The Odeon's steelwork has not been maintained, which has allowed corrosion to become established and develop. "The precise depth and extent of the corrosion cannot be gauged without stripping back all the brickwork to expose the surface of the steelwork. The ideal repair would involve replacing the steelwork but because this is embedded within the omate brick walls, it is difficult to get access to it. "One solution that might avoid the extensive removal and replacement of the steelwork would be to provide a cathode protection system to the embedded steelwork, but this would have a limited life of perhaps ten to 15 years. If the cathodic protection were replaced and maintained, its life could possibly be extended to 30 years. "The important point about a cathodic protection system is that it is only a "sticking plaster" remedy and therefore only temporary- Thirty years is the maximum time that a building using cathodic protection could reasonably be expected to be certified for public use. It does not mean that the building is due to fall down after 30 years."

FATE OF ODEON LIES IN YOUR HANDS by OLWEN VASEY T&A Reporter

A £3.6 million price tag has been put on a proposal to save the famous towers of Bradford's former Odeon Cinema.
International engineering consultants have already ruled out saving the whole building and have now revealed the costs of various options for the city centre site.
All the options allow for the 1930s cinema to be replaced by an exciting new building, which could have a range of uses such as a concert hall, conference centre or other cultural function to blend in with the leisure and entertainment facilities nearby including the Alhambra and. National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.
Consultants Arup have reported that retaining the towers as part of the new building and making them structurally sound is the most expensive option, at £3.6 million. They could be replaced by replica domes using the latest materials, for between E2.5 million and £3.5 million.
Alternatively, the new building could contain design features reflecting the towers which once stood there.
Completely demolishing the building and clearing the site would cost £1.44 million.
Bradford Centre Regeneration -the city's redevelopment and regeneration team - is now asking local people to let them know which of the options they prefer.

And Telegraph & Argus readers can take part by either voting on the telephone hotline numbers
shown, by completing and returning the attached coupon or by vot ing on Bradford Centre
Regeneration's website www.bradfordurc. co.uk.
Today, Bradford Centre Regeneration's chief executive Maud Marshall said: "The cost of restoration of the towers is unnervingly high, but we are very aware of the strong affection some people have for the building. " The feedback will help to inform us on how we should structure a competition which will select the design of the new landmark building to be erected on this site."
Mrs Marshall said once the format of the design competition had been decided the subsequent consultation exercise would include a major exhibition to showcase the shortlisted designs.
• A public meeting has been organised at City Hall tomorrow over the Odeon's future.
Mrs Marshall will give details of a structural survey carried out into the condition of the building.
Councillor Val Slater, chairman of Bradford Council's regeneration improvement committee, said: "The Odeon holds a special place in the hearts of local people and it is important that everyone is given to opportunity to have their say."

The meeting starts at 6.30pm.e-mail: olwen.vasey @bradford, newsquest. co.uk

A view of the site from a former Mercia Website gallery photo, February 2004.

Architects: Bertie Crewe & Henry G. Kay, consultant for Duchy of Cornwall estate: Louis de Soissons. Bertie Crewe trained as a theatre architect. His main building surviving is the Golder’s Green Hippodrome. His partner Henry Kaye was the cinema man – in any Crewe would have had little to do with the Regal as he died in that year. Allen Eyles says of it: ‘With its rounded corner entrance, streamlined look and fly-tower, the huge Regal Kennington had a superficial resemblance to the Granada Clapham Junction (they opened within days of each other in November 1937) and could easily be mistaken for an original Granada after the circuit had stamped its image on the building and renamed it. ‘ = The Granada Theatres , CTA, 1998.

2000 seats. Western Electric sound – probably Mirrophonic.
Closed during early World War Two: re-opened 18.5.41. Taken over by Granada circuit 5.48, and renamed GRANADA on 3.1.49.
1818 seats in 1955.
Closed to film 15July 61.
Granada bingo from mid-October 1961 on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, then also Fridays. Wrestling on Saturdays from 28.10.61 or earlier.
Bingo every night with 1762 seats in 9.62.
Taken over 5.91 by Gala and renamed.
Closed 9 March 97.
Added to local conservation area July 97.