Campaigners vow to fight on over former Telford cinema
Campaigners fighting to save the former Clifton cinema today said they would fight on despite contracts being exchanged between a developer and the current owners of the site.
The sold sign appeared outside the building in Wellington, but the identity of the buyer remains unknown.
However, planning permission for the site has not yet been submitted and the development would not be able to go ahead until councillors approved the application.
Campaigners said that they were still looking at other ways to save the building, including trying to have it put under listed status.
Fiona Hunter, director of the Clifton Community Arts Centre, said the identify of the buyer and details of plans for the site would become public knowledge when the plans were submitted.
She said: "We are of course very disappointed about the contract exchange, but we still don't know what the developer has in mind for the site. We expect planning proposals to be put before the council and only then will we know who the developer is – until then we just don't know if it will be a supermarket, a bowling alley or whatever."
Ms Hunter said that those campaigning to keep the Clifton from being demolished were now looking into other ways of saving the building.
She said: "We are investigating what we have to do to apply to get Clifton a listed building status. If we could do that, it would help to protect the building and limit the building work the new developer could do.
"We hope Telford & Wrekin have a rethink about the future of the Clifton, even at this late stage. But we urge anyone who feels strongly about saving the Clifton to write to their local MP, their unelected representatives and their local councillors.
"It isn't too late and I believe that we can still save this wonderful building."
The Clifton Project has been trying to raise £500,000 which would enable it to buy the building. The cinema closed in 1989 and has stood empty for three years following the departure of the Dunelm furnishings shop to Telford's Forge Retail Park. Earlier this month playwright and film director Mike Leigh became the latest big name to pledge his support to the project. Mr Leigh contacted the group after seeing a postcard about the campaign.
