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Save Camberwell Village Hall

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eusebiovic

New Member
Hello Everyone,

We are starting a campaign to save the last remaining purpose-built Cinema/Theatre left in Camberwell (The ex-Gala Bingo Hall) and preserve it as a secular Arts/Cultural Venue and unique Community Hub. This is one of the last Grade II listed cinemas/theatres left in Southwark.

It has been sold by GalaCoral group in private to an Evangelical Christian Church - with no wider local community consultation whatsoever. A total neglect of their "commitment" to Corporate Responsibility has been excercised here. This remember is an organization which has numerous betting shop outlets in the local area and throughout Southwark.

Many of our venues have been demolished over the past 30 years. 3 in Camberwell & East Dulwich, Elephant & Peckham Odeon's have all been lost forever. Visit our Facebook Page and webpage below for more details.

I hope you will all support this embryonic campaign and see where it can take us! If you are interested then spread the word! A poster can be printed from the website and displayed in the windows of all the local homes,shops,colleges and businesses in Camberwell and environs.

Our Webpage:-

www.CamberwellVillageHall.com


or Facebook Group "Cinema for Camberwell Green"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camberwell-United-Kingdom/Cinema-for-Camberwell-Green/314480941967



Kindest Regards,

Victor Ferreiro :)
 
I've no doubt our new poster carefully read the FAQ, and asked for the appropriate permisssions, before using this site as a publicity vehicle.

Well, I hope so, anyway. Am I right eusebiovic?
 
eusebiovic said:
Hello Everyone,

We are starting a campaign to save the last remaining purpose-built Cinema/Theatre left in Camberwell (The ex-Gala Bingo Hall) and preserve it as a secular Arts/Cultural Venue and unique Community Hub. This is one of the last Grade II listed cinemas/theatres left in Southwark.
Click to expand...
I'll let the poster get away with this one because it's an important campaign.

I've de-spammmified the title though.
 
It would possibly be allowed in protest/events etc.

But not usually when it's the poster's primary aim of being here. :hmm:

It's a resource for regular contributers.
 
I'll move it to the Brixton forum. I trust the poster will contribute something to this thread too.
 
Better a church than a block of overpriced flats, surely though?

It'd be nice if the place became something useful but I'm not quite convinced that the proposal is the best possible use. Not convinced of the use of converting back to a cinema with others within a short bus trip - but I'm not sure yet quite what I'd do with the place given the chance.

Time to ponder, methinks.
 
I live in the Lambeth part of Camberwell...I regularly read urban75 and have had it in my favourites since well forever...

I post on all the Camberwell Blogs...But I needed to introduce myself somehow...

Camberwell Village Hall doesn't exist...It's just a title for the benefit of our campaign...we want the ex-cinema/bingo hall to be a...

Cinema
Theatre
Live Music Venue
Library
Cafe
Recording/Rehearsal Studios
Community Hall/Function Rooms
Artist Studios/Gallery Space
Youth/Educational Facilities
Volunteer Garden

That is what we want it to be...Camberwell has no focal point - we want to create one - Sorry to be Cheeky...but I am always in Brixton socialising and going to the markets and restaurants and Ritzy...I thought it was O.K to post here...

Kindest Regards :)
 
Just out of interest, if you frequent the Ritzy, why does Camberwell need a cinema? It's only a short bus ride away after all and I would guess that most people who can afford £10 for a trip to the cinema won't be too bothered about another couple of quid for a bus journey (or use their travelcard they've already paid for).
 
AJ, I go to the cinema in the West End, it's just another couple of quid on the bus (or nothing on the bicycle in my case). By your logic, Brixton shouldn't have a cinema.

From the post above you, it seems that they want to offer more than just a cinema... besides, there is more to film than mainstream releases that get shown at chain cinemas.
 
True, but those sort of films have very specialist audiences, as I would expect do the rest of the things they're planning on offering, rather than the whole community, so the promise of being "all inclusive" probably isn't likely to happen.

I'm certainly not going to do anything to stop their campaign if they really feel that's what Camberwell needs, but I would hazard a guess that there will be very little going on there that will interest me personally.

Many of these good intentioned 'arts centre' projects tend to be rather left-wing and appeal more to students, festival-goers and crusties than the average person.
 
There are two other campaigns to save cinemas / create cinemas I'm aware of, as they both have been going for a while, and the one in Crystal Palace seems to have been quite successful so far, maybe it's worth talking to the organisers of those campaigns for tips? Both buildings in question have also been bought by a church.

Campaign for a cinema in Crystal Palace: http://www.campaign.picture-palace.org/
Campaign to save the cinema in Walthamstow: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18869047816

In terms of the Crystal Palace campaign, the building used to also be a bingo hall, and the church that bought it couldn't just use it as a church, they needed to get planning permission for a change of use from leisure (D2 use class) to place of worship (D1 use class). I think this would also apply for the Camberwell Village Hall. The church would need to submit a planning application. In Crystal Palace there was then a huge campaign to get people to write to the planning department to object to the change of use...

Good luck with your campaign.
 
eusebiovic said:
Camberwell Village Hall doesn't exist...It's just a title for the benefit of our campaign...we want the ex-cinema/bingo hall to be a...

Cinema
Theatre
Live Music Venue
Library
Cafe
Recording/Rehearsal Studios
Community Hall/Function Rooms
Artist Studios/Gallery Space
Youth/Educational Facilities
Volunteer Garden

That is what we want it to be...Camberwell has no focal point - we want to create one
Click to expand...
Fwiw, I think that's a much improved description of aims.

So the next thing is . . . money - specifically funding and income streams?
 
ajdown said:
Many of these good intentioned 'arts centre' projects tend to be rather left-wing and appeal more to students, festival-goers and crusties than the average person.
Click to expand...

Do you mean a bit like the BAC Battersea Arts Centre?
 
well there's no reason it couldn't be several of those things. It's probably too large a building to work effectively as just a cinema anyway without turning a bit multiplex.

And it's not like the Ritzy is in any way "just a cinema" anymore.

A sort of BAC in Camberwell would be great, putting on films, music, theatre and exhibitions.

Ultimately though, surely if "It has been sold by GalaCoral group in private to an Evangelical Christian Church" there's only a snowball's chance in hell of getting it back. It's been sold already.
 
matt m said:
well there's no reason it couldn't be several of those things. It's probably too large a building to work effectively as just a cinema anyway without turning a bit multiplex.

And it's not like the Ritzy is in any way "just a cinema" anymore.

A sort of BAC in Camberwell would be great, putting on films, music, theatre and exhibitions.

Ultimately though, surely if "It has been sold by GalaCoral group in private to an Evangelical Christian Church" there's only a snowball's chance in hell of getting it back. It's been sold already.
Click to expand...

Nah they can get their planning and refused and it can be bought, happened elsewhere recently but I can't remember which area, may have been Walthamstow but don't quote me. :oops:

BAC in Camberwell would be great :cool:

And the Ritzy is shite so I'd much rather go to Camberwell for a filum. :)
 
editor said:
I'll let the poster get away with this one because it's an important campaign.

I've de-spammmified the title though.
Click to expand...

I wonder if these people use the INSPIRE CENTRE just off the Walworth road which has a Cafe and meeting rooms etc.
It is kind of a Village type hall for Camberwell and dont think it gets much used in the evenings could be wrong though....
 
inspire is hidden away and has access issues - and tiny in comparison to the bingo hall though.

AJ - your cup is permanently half empty isnt it? Just think, you could start a WoW group in Camberwell...
 
Dear All,

Yes, we can oppose planning permission - Yes, funding options are already being devised and discussed...

Also it will be a place that appeals to everyone. We are getting all the local youth groups involved...with recording studios/rehearsal facilities for music and theatre...I suspect we will be very popular...There has been a lot of enthusiasm from the youth already, innit? Which in my opinion is a very good thing indeed...

All the major political parties have been espousing this proposal of Community Ownership...but show no evidence of allowing it to happen - just lip service, as usual - And in Camberwell there is the endemic and long-term apathy over the last 30 years from Southwark Council to run it into the ground and concentrate on everywhere else except here.

Kind Regards,

Euse
 
Dear All,

Cinema for Camberwell Green now has 2,640 fans and counting...

Thank You to everyone on this blog board who has signed up to our facebook page - It's hugely appreciated!

Kindest Regards,

Euse
 
Thank you to all who have joined our campaign - You have been a huge help! - At the last count we had 3,062 fans and counting...

We shall be very busy throughout the local community this summer getting ideas and opinions from all the great people who live here...There may well be an event in the pipeline and a party or two ;-)

Kindest Regards

Euse
 
Zenie/All

It's more than just a cinema...That's the bare minimum...check the info box on the facebook page and www.CamberwellVillageHall.com

Please continue to visit our page - Also don't forget that this week is Camberwell Arts Festival 19th-27th June 2010

If successful in future we would consider it absolutely essential to give the building over to be used as a central hub along with Camberwell College of Arts and South London Gallery for future festivals...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/...gdom/Cinema-for-Camberwell-Green/314480941967

More than just a cinema...Thanks ;-)
 
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