Waltham Forest Guardian Pieces

Waltham Forest Guardian

The Save Our Cinema campaign continues with local MP’s petition, and letter writing. Again, last weekend I helped collect petition signatures on Walthamstow’s High Street to help save the borough’s last working cinema

The application from the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) for the change of use of the EMD cinema, on Hoe Street, to a church is going to appeal with The Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

The Petition, drawn up by Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard states those who sign support all moves to maintain the location as a place of entertainment.

Despite frantic Christmas shopping, people were very keen to sign the petition as soon as they realised what it was about.

Colin Layton, 36, of Tenby Court signed it, and said: "I think it’s a beautiful place, I love the old Granada cinema."

"Anyway, due to my disability, I have problems getting to any other cinema."

Alison Freebairn, 32, of The Crescent, was very passionate about the Grade II listed building built in 1930, even though she moved to the borough only a year ago.

After signing, she said: "I love this cinema, and would be so sad and outraged if it became a church."

"Why do we need another church, there are well over a hundred churches in the borough but only one cinema!"

Ted Spramks, in his sixties, of Hartington Road, talked emotionally about the cinema’s future and past.

He especially remembered seeing the Charlton Heston film epic Earthquarke there in the mid 70s. He said: "My whole body was rocking, I felt like I was there! It’s a great cinema!"

He and pensioner George Caldwell, of Essex Close, both had fond memories of Ernie Mills, or ‘Uncle Ernie’, as he is known, working at the cinema.

George said: "There were so many of us, sometimes we would try to sneak past him at the entrance to get in free!"

Not a single person that I spoke to was in favour of the change of use, and all signed the petition. However, one man didn’t know the cinema was still open.

According to Neil Gerrard MP on Monday, the petition has 2,500 signatures, but adding that there are a significant number of petition sheets not yet in.

Thank you to all those who have signed the petition so far!

Waltham Forest Guardian

On behalf of the Save Our Cinema campaign, I want to say a big thank you to all those who have signed our petition so far, or even better have written a letter to The Planning Inspectorate.

The Petition, drawn up by Neil Gerrard MP, states those signing reject the change of use application and support all moves to maintain the location as a place of entertainment.

As a result of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) also appealing against the protected Listed status of cinema, as well as its change of use, the deadline for letters and petitions has been extended to 14 January. So please get writing letters or find a petition to sign!

The Save Our Cinema campaign will have petitions and details on writing a letter in the High Street Square this Saturday, for the fourth time, from 1pm so please come!

On Saturday evening I tried to find Vinney Jones, regular punter at the dog racing, in the Paddock restaurant at the Walthamstow Stadium to ask him to sign the petition. Unfortunately, he is in Hawaii for three weeks, but I may well try again in the New Year in light of the extended deadline.

Last Monday I got Uncle Ernie’s signature for the petition. Pensioner Ernie Mills of Orchard Street worked for the cinema until 1996, and five different companies that owned it, for an amazing unbroken service of 50 years and 37 days, and he truly is one of Walthamstow’s most famous people. Uncle Ernie met the Beatles and all the stars, and says he did not marry because he married this cinema, which he calls his second home.

This evening [Thursday 19] some members of the Save Our Cinema campaign will be joining Ernie Mills to see the second part of the spectacular Lord Of The Rings. Everyone is welcome to come earlier, for 7.30PM, to meet Uncle Ernie. Why not come along for 8 PM to watch the film and support the Walthamstow Cinema - Where else in London can you watch a blockbuster like this on a huge screen without booking for £3.50!

In October 1964 the Beatles played their second and final one-night concert (first one was in 1963) which saw queues all the way down to the High Street. After, to get away, one of the Beatles had to dress up in Granada uniform, and before quickly leaving out of the back to a waiting car.

Even when the cinema’s roof was blown off in 1944 by a flying (or V-) bomb hitting the High Street, the manager made sure the cinema was only closed for a few months. Following a massive public protest and masses of letters the 1973 threat by Granada to close it, was quashed.

On January 2 the cinema has its last normal programme before closing, with the McGuffins Society showing a final film on Friday January 3 as part of its Gala Charity last night. Lets save our Beautiful Grade II* listed cinema with its wonderful and rare Christie organ as a building for all the community.

What a wonderful but also sad night it was, and although over four hours long, I didn't notice the time at all!

Wonderful positive speeches about saving the last Waltham Forest cinema came from record-breaker Terry Cole and Ernie Mills (Uncle Ernie to many), who worked at the cinema for 50 years.

Brilliant short films - like the last run of the Last London Tram, following which it was broken up. And a brilliantly apt and funny main feature The Smallest Show On Earth - set in the '50s - it followed the successful exploits of a couple who inherited a run down cinema.

The music of the only surviving Christie organ in situ, whose pipes, drums and xylophones fill the whole roof, bathed in coloured spotlight, made me and many shed a tear. It may be the last time it ever plays, and in order that we don't forget, the last melody played was Auld Lang Syne.

What did you think of the Gala Charity? Or what did or do you think of the Granada cinema?

Waltham Forest Guardian

I READ with interest your story in the Guardian (October 17) about the recent small fire at the old Empress cinema in Hoe Street, Walthamstow.

Last Sunday evening, while waiting for a bus to Walthamstow bus station outside the old building, I saw three drunken young men enter the supposedly closed building.

It's not surprising to me that there was a suspicious fire there a few weeks ago as the building is totally insecure.

The wooden screen that has been around the front entrance of the cinema for a long time looks like it has been smashed through for quite a while, and the actual front door beyond was propped open.

The young men, probably all in their late teens but some maybe a little older, all with carrier bags, were certainly going in there to drink but possibly to use illegal drugs.

I would be interested to know if the fire brigade that attended the recent very likely arson attack made arrangements for it to be made secure.

In terms of crime, a further use may be as an easy escape route from observation or capture, especially considering its location and it being right next to a bus stop.

I certainly felt intimidated and was glad when my bus arrived.

The council and owners should realise like the surrounding buildings' owners that this building is also currently a continuing arson threat both to itself and the neighbours.

RUFUS GREEN, Ickworth Park Road, Walthamstow

Waltham Forest Guardian

Raving mad

January 30 2003

At:

THE EMD cinema has been devastated during a marathon 30-hour illegal rave which saw clubbers enjoying an orgy of drug-taking and mindless vandalism.

The historic Grade 2 listed building was covered in graffiti, and seats and projection equipment were ripped out and stolen during the frenzy.

Dozens of residents had no sleep as up to 500 ravers broke in on Sunday at around 2am. They were still there at noon on Monday.

Booming music and noisy clubbers kept residents awake and police were powerless to act as they were hugely outnumbered.

Earlier on Saturday, members of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, the new owner, had been outside the building to "bless" it.

Hours later it was trashed as party-goers moved in.

A police officer contacted the UCKG on Tuesday to ask about damage, and was told to fax his questions, and then they might respond.

When the Guardian contacted the group, the press officer refused to take our calls and sent a fax claiming they were "responding" along with the police.

But the police said the UCKG, which bought the cinema for £2.8 million, had not been in contact to report the damage.

Members of the McGuffins film group posed as ravers to get inside the EMD, Hoe Street, on Sunday night, to see the damage first hand.

Spokesman Bill Hodgson said: "There does appear to be considerable damage. After just three weeks of owning the premises, UCKG has proved its complete inability to protect this important local asset.

"The cinema is a listed building and ownership carries a responsibility to ensure it is properly preserved and not neglected in this way."

Journalist and eye witness Rufus Green said expensive projection equipment was badly damaged, cash tills were smashed and graffiti was daubed everywhere.

Hundreds of metres of unravelled film was said to have littered the place, and metal film cans, popcorn and beer cans were scattered around.

Mr Green said: "Ravers were everywhere in the building but the focus was the main stage area, where many of the mid-20s revellers were dancing, and others played with the cinema's complex stage lighting.

"It was evident that it was a hard core of the ravers were intent on destroying and stealing as much as they could. At around 5am on Monday, vandals ripped up about 25 seats at the very front of the upper circle."

The music finally died down at 9am on Monday and revellers spent the next three hours making their way out of the cinema.

Police were unable to stop the rave. By the time they knew about it there were already too many people to evict. But a spokesman said officers had been "keeping an eye" on the rave. One man was arrested for possession of a Class A drug.

Many of the revellers were said to be French, German and Spanish and they were seen drinking and taking drugs.

The rave organisers, who set up expensive sound and lighting systems in the large auditorium and the left-hand mini screen auditorium, are thought to have broken into the building through a side stage entrance.

The mini screen auditorium was used as a chill-out area, and Mr Green said the screen was torn to shreds.

"Many of the ravers relieved themselves wherever they wanted, and one man defecated in the foyer. From the start of the rave, pipes had been violently pulled and bent, cables were ripped from the wall, and plaster was kicked away. The offices were wrecked and paper strewn everywhere."

The ravers are believed to have found out about the rave from a special telephone hotline, which is updated every weekend. Organisers are said to target derelict or empty buildings.

One party-goer later expressed fears over the safety of the venue. Virtually all the fire exits were chained and padlocked, most of the cinema was in darkness and the soaking marble floors were said to be "dangerously slippery".

So sailors have a girl in every port. Apparently, the canal boatmen of old had a girl in every inn of their route. Such is the pace of canal boat travel. I learnt a lot at the Oxford Canal festival, designed to celebrate Oxford Canal’s past and present.

The main venue was the Aristotle Lane recreation ground near the canal in north Oxford, with a music stage and exhibition tents. Dozens of beautifully painted canal boats, some historic, had heaps of bunting and balloons, and even fiddlers on their roofs.

Music, drama, art, literature, wildlife, history and of course face painting and juggling were the activities of the busy afternoon.

The winding and level Oxford Canal gets to Coventry after 77 miles, and most of its users these days use the towpath. Back in 1790, when the canal was completed, Oxford was - effectively connected to the ‘national grid’ — able to obtain large amounts of coal.

Carrying 50 tons each from the coal fields of Birmingham, the first boats, towed by horses, arrived at Oxford Wharf - now built over.

The festival, with other venues at the Jericho boat yard and Wolvercote Green, was free, all proceeds going towards environmental improvements to the canal.

Hard to believe now but in the 1960s Transport minister Barbara Castle made plans to fill in the canal. According to several stalls its amenity value is still threatened by inappropriate, ill thought out housing development.

As some boats started heading for home I talked with the owners of ‘Cairo’. Although only four thirty it would take three hours for them to go the nine miles to Thrupp, its berth, and this without congestion at the locks!

The finale of the festival, and according to organiser Mark Davies, the billing from which the festival built and built was the musical duet of Jeff Dennison and Benny Graham, with their show ‘They’re Coming Back To The Water’.

The music, mainly traditional, at the Jericho Tavern (upstairs at the Philander and Firkin) in Walton Street, was made more accessible by their humour and slides of canal history.

They sang and spoke of the days when a whole family lived in 7’ by 10’ and moved coal from dawn until dusk, when flowers on a canal boat meant only one thing, mourning.

Organiser Mark Davies is co-author of a new book, Our Canal In Oxford, launched and selling fast on the day.

Telling me why I should live on a canal boat he said: "Freedom from materialism and other ties; the closeness of the floating communities like the one in Oxford; and the closeness to nature."

He was less positive about nature at 5 am on a Summers morning, including swans tapping on his hull as they clean off the weed.

This weekend sees the country’s biggest canal weekend at Braunstone, Leicestershire, with many events taking place. For details of these and info about our canal or a leaflet on its walk call British Waterways on 01788 890666

Rufus Green

The book Our Canal In Oxford is available from Blackwells, Cornmarket, £3.