Thousands join fight to save cinema

Jan 30 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

A CAST of thousands has launched a campaign to save a century-old cinema from closure.

The final scene in the history of Barry’s Theatre Royal is set to be played out on April 10 when the popular venue will close its doors for the last time.

But film lovers and residents are hoping there will be a last-minute twist and the cinema will be saved.

The 99-year lease on the building , which is held by South Wales cinema owner Brian Bull, runs out at the end of April.

Mr Bull said it would revert to the freeholders, who plan to redevelop the site.

But already more than 2,000 people have signed a petition demanding the building continues to be used as a cinema.

Opponents, some dressed in costumes depicting King Kong, James Bond and other film heroes, gathered on King Square, Barry, yesterday to encourage people to sign the petition.

Wendy Marsh, who has worked at the cinema as a manager for 10 years, said: “It is a good, popular and viable cinema and there is no reason to close it. It is loved by a lot of people and is used by children. We will be meeting later this week with our AM, Jane Hutt, at the National Assembly to call for action to save the cinema.

“Recently it has been allowed to run into the ground so that it can just be demolished and the site redeveloped. But that should not happen. This cinema is part of the town’s history.”

Claire Usswald, landlady of the Borough Arms pub, in High Street, Barry, is encouraging her regulars to sign the petition.

“It’s one of the few places that children can go in the town instead of hanging around the streets.”

John Asprou, 70, who came to live in Barry in 1963, said: “What else are they going to take away from Barry? It is a great shame. There are not many places to go in Barry – this is one of them.”

Mr Bull, who also ran the now-closed Monico cinema in Cardiff, as well as cinemas in Swansea and Bargoed and was presented with the Anthony Hopkins Award for his services to Welsh film culture in 2005, said: “The cinema will close at the end of April because the lease is up. I’m not particularly sad to see it go. It needs a lot of money spent on it and I can’t blame the freeholders for wanting to redevelop the site.”

There is a possibility a modern cinema could be built on the Waterfront complex, across the road from the Theatre Royal, but no plans exist yet.

peter.collins@mediawales.co.uk