Cinema chief gets a council reprieve (From Evesham Journal)

Cinema chief gets a council reprieve

11:24am Thursday 15th March 2007 in News By Pat Smith

THE owner of the Regal Cinema in Evesham is being given more time to start a renovation programme before the council prosecutes.

Last month, councillors at a planning meeting voted to take Alan Redpath to court for non-compliance with an order to start work.

However, at an executive board meeting this month, councillors decided to give the owner more time to come up with positive plans to start work on the dilapidated grade II listed building in Port Street.

It's been a year since Wychavon District Council first served Alan Redpath with a notice to get the work done and three years since it became empty and fell into disrepair.

Heritage manager Jim Burgin said: "Our legal department has received a number of communications from the owner and his agent. We have been promised an implementation programme by the end of March, or at least a draft report. We feel we must give him every opportunity to comply with the order before starting legal proceedings."

Councillors have also agreed to help the owner to apply for grants to English Heritage and Advantage West Midlands. Mr Burgin added: "It is in everybody's interest to get this renovation underway."

Newsagent Lawrence Jacobs, whose business is almost opposite the cinema, said: "Work should be started very soon, the place is dangerous. The owner has had plenty of time to comply with the order and Wychavon has had plenty of time to act. I am very disappointed that the council has not yet carried out its threat to prosecute."

In an on-line survey, more than 120 Journal readers said that they wanted the Regal to re-open as a cinema, 22 did not, and four were undecided.

Mr Redpath declined to comment.