Jamie Dunbar - Ritzy strike

[Radical Lambeth]

Hi all

Doing some research on Lambeth from the late 70s to the early
90s.

There was a strike at the Ritzy about the late 70s over the sacking of Jamie Dunbar. I have attached a photo of it. Does anyone have any more details or information about it?

 

[friedaweed]

Try the London sections of the boards. You're more likely to be offered a hobnob or get called Firky in this forum. If you PM a mod they will move the thread for you

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Brixton forum is that way -------------> Brixton

A few people there may know some of the detail…

Gramsci editor CH1

 

[CH1]

Hi all

Doing some research on Lambeth from the late 70s to the early
90s.

There was a strike at the Ritzy about the late 70s over the sacking of Jamie Dunbar. I have attached a photo of it. Does anyone have any more details or information about it?

I'm trying to remember.....Jamie was certainly a Brixton resident of that vintage and radical with it see his connections Unfinished Histories » Brixton Faeries

Isn't Stephen Foster still around? Might give you "management's" point of view.
I'm not sure of your suggested date. I think that strike might have been in the early-mid 1980s.

 

[CH1]

Hi all

Doing some research on Lambeth from the late 70s to the early
90s.

There was a strike at the Ritzy about the late 70s over the sacking of Jamie Dunbar. I have attached a photo of it. Does anyone have any more details or information about it?

Got his name wrong (Foster's that is - first name actually Patrick). There is an article on Brixton Blog which says:

"It also seems that strikes at the Ritzy are nothing new. Such was the LGBT element within the Ritzy, that at one point in 1981 Pat discovered that a small clique of their staff had begun to censor parts of films which they saw as homophobic. Dismayed that such action had been taken without consultation, he fired the two main culprits. Within a week there was a picket outside supported by the Socialist Workers’ Party. The cinema opened its doors on the first night of the picket, but very few people came."

From Electric Pavilion to the Little Bit Ritzy: The story of a legendary landmark

Was this the same strike and the same issue? I don't remember a strike over homophobic censorship actually - though I do remember a strike over the sacking of Jamie Dunbar, though I cannot recall the precise issue.

 

[CH1]

This article gives a clue as to Patrick Foster (local entrepreneur - founder Satay Bar)
GLE?s Lambeth Recovery Loan Fund helps Brixton?s Satay Bar meet greater customer demand and invest in greener business practices

My recollection of that (from the perspective of an interested member of the public) was it was Patrick who in effect was sacked by the Ritzy immediately it re-opened as a multiplex under the ownership of Oasis Cinemas, having had oodles of Brixton Challenge funding to regenerate it. The consolation prize in the deal seems to have been the Satay bar.

I'm wondering whether these people (Jamie, Patrick) had a personality clash? I seem to remember something about the time of the Jamie strike about whether the Ritzy was a collective, a co-operative or a bog standard business.

 

[CH1]

A background article which could explain the reference in the Brixton Blog article.
http://www.gayinthe80s.com/2012/04/1980-the-year-of-the-homosexual-psychopath/

I find it difficult to imagine people at the Ritzy "censoring parts of films which they saw as homophobic". However there was this Al Pacino film "Cruising" which many activists objected to. I saw it at the time - most probably at the Ritzy. Could imagine there being internal disputes about them showing it.

 

[butchersapron]

If you can get hold of Ian Towson you may have some luck, (still around as there's something by him in Quarterly recently) - may be able to direct you to the right place in this lot.

 

[brixtonscot]

Jamie Dunbar went back to Australia. I did have email address for him

 

[Tricky Skills]

I reckon sweetbriar49 on Twitter would be able to help as well.

 

[Nanker Phelge]

This article gives a clue as to Patrick Foster (local entrepreneur - founder Satay Bar)

Ah....Patrick Foster is that Patrick Foster. I didn't know about his Ritzy connections.

 

[brixtonscot]

The strike was April 81 , over collective bargaining / Working agreements and sacking of Jamie Dunbar. I've tried to email Jamie , but no response so far