Wanton Destruction of the Classic Lounge Cinema

[BLAKEY]

They say we often go around with our eyes shut, so imagine my astonishment this afternoon to find that the beautiful historic Lounge cinema in North Lane has all but gone - only the wall facing onto North Lane remains. I know that the cinema trade has taken a real decline in recent decades, but the Lounge was expensively refurbished not all that long ago - and I believe that after it closed very soon after that its brand new seats were installed in the Hyde Park cinema so it least that's something to be thankful for. I've no idea what is to be built instead, but new steelwork is already well advanced behind the old fascia wall. We must be glad that Leeds City Council have taken the Hyde Park under their wing so presumably that's pretty safe, and that very courageous business man with several small local cinemas in Yorkshire towns has saved the Cottage Road, if I remember rightly less than a week after it had been forced to close.

[buffaloskinner]

Blakey its all here, this is the final application, there are 8 documents.Just click on the 8 documents near to the bottom of the pagehttp://tinyurl.com/7o8gszvThis is the agents ATC statement:Lounge CinemaPlanning and conservation area consent was granted by Leeds City Council for the £6m redevelopment of the former cinema site to a mixed use scheme comprising office space and retail units together with basement parking.The consented scheme was subsequently amended and simplified to include a restaurant, slightly reduced office floor space and an external smoking terrace for the adjoining Arc bar. The amended scheme received detailed planning consent on 6 November 2009. Unfortunately, the speculative office market is currently such that it would not be viable to implement the approved scheme. As a result the scheme has been amended to incorporate 12 x 2 bedroom apartments in the upper floors as opposed to offices.A pre-application planning meeting has been held with both planning and highway officers to discuss the further amended scheme and feedback has been positive. The amended plans are therefore to be put on public display in Headingley Library with a view to submitting the formal application for the amended scheme very soon thereafter.Development details:Location: Headingley, LeedsCost: £6mDevelopment type: Office, retail and restaurant

[Jogon]

I thought the Cottage Rd and Lounge were both owned by same Company &/or (Family behind it)? No?Headingley is/was unusually well served in UK for independant small cinemas, as you point out the Hyde Park & Cottage Rd.I suppose the awkward question has to be asked:- how much did one spend there in the last 12 months, 2 years, 5 yrs?They don't make land any more, and it has to pay for itself. If a wealthy relative left me the Lounge and it was a money pit (needs spend) as a cinema, staff, H&S, Fire Regs, Licensing, new roof, rewire, insurance etc OR sale & redevelop for guess £1.8M I'd have to take the money.I miss it, as I do the Clock Cinema and pubs that close that I never bought beer in. And most of all (for me) Lewis's.My kids prefer to go see a film in The Light.    

[Riponian]

In my youth we would go to the Lounge rather than going into town to the pictures, we did also see some films at the Clock, both were fairly well attended in the mid seventies. They seem to be in an unearthly haste to create yet more office and some surplus retail space.At the moment my preferred cinema is in Thirsk, a good old fashioned one. I have seen the odd film at the Warner ones (or whatever they are called now) on Kirkstall Road but I'm afraid that they have certainly made the experience of going to see a film a tad less pleasurable.

[raveydavey]

Jogon wrote: I thought the Cottage Rd and Lounge were both owned by same Company &/or (Family behind it)? No?Headingley is/was unusually well served in UK for independant small cinemas, as you point out the Hyde Park & Cottage Rd.I suppose the awkward question has to be asked:- how much did one spend there in the last 12 months, 2 years, 5 yrs?They don't make land any more, and it has to pay for itself. If a wealthy relative left me the Lounge and it was a money pit (needs spend) as a cinema, staff, H&S, Fire Regs, Licensing, new roof, rewire, insurance etc OR sale & redevelop for guess £1.8M I'd have to take the money.I miss it, as I do the Clock Cinema and pubs that close that I never bought beer in. And most of all (for me) Lewis's.My kids prefer to go see a film in The Light.     ATC (Associated Tower Cinemas?) did own the Lounge and Cottage Rd Cinemas, but said that the Lounge wasn't paying and closed it for the original redevelopment (Arc Bar)saying that would allow then to keep the Cottage Rd Cinema open, IIRC.It then seemed with indecent haste that the Cottage Rd cinema couldn't be made to pay and was also closed - however this was bought up in the nick of time by Northern Morris Cinemas, who run several old style cinemas across the North.You are right in the other points - I never went to the Lounge Cinema and despite enjoying the ambiance of the Cottage Rd Cinema (and even more the Hyde Park Cinema), I can count the number of visit to both on one hand.Why? Wrong location - wrong side of Leeds to visit (for us) without using the car and very limited (virtually non-existent) parking at either. Plus films showing at inconvenient times, or which have already been shown at the multiplexes. Sad but true.

[Phill_dvsn]

[book]

A sad end to a great old Leeds cinema. If it was going to be transformed into something of community interest that would justify the tearing down of the building but flats, offices etc. well enough said!

[LS1]

The facade is staying apparently, its the back that they are removing.You'd be surprised how many other buildings in Leeds are like this.The street frontage is left, held with steel girders, then a new building is constructed behind it. See Park Row House for example....

[Cardiarms]

The planning permission to build the Arc and link it to the cinema was to create an 'arts cafe', food based establishment, linked to the cinema, an arts centre with a licence. This involved the promise to refurbish the cinema. Local residents expressed concern it would change to a pub at the first opportunity and the possible development of a night club. this was denied. The 'arts centre/cafe' idea was bought by planning. Lo and behold as soon as possible the cinema is closed, the cafe shrinks, a late licence with a DJ booth/music licence is obtained and we have a pub/club drinking barn with loud music and no cinema.

[Jogon]

LS1 wrote: The facade is staying apparently, its the back that they are removing.You'd be surprised how many other buildings in Leeds are like this.The street frontage is left, held with steel girders, then a new building is constructed behind it. See Park Row House for example.... Yeah, same with Dysons / Timeball Jewellers + linked Boar Lane frontages with the new Marriott behind. Arguably better to demo it and do something original?Creates a bit of a disneyfied olde Leeds where tourists passing by assume no change since J.A.G. 'painted' it (from photos at home:- .."By projecting a photograph or a lantern slide on to a blank canvas, Grimshaw was able to create an instant composition, the outlines of which he could go over in pencil. He then applied his lurid colours with tiny brushes to create a glossy finish, free from visible evidence of his handling of paint.."his obituary in 1893:- his pictures “excited considerable controversy among contemporary artists, not a few [of whom] were doubtful whether they could be accepted as paintings at all”.[By Richard Dorment Telegraph10:17AM BST 20 Sep 2011])