Cinema made a ‘Treasure’ by councillors

Apr 4 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

A LANDMARK cinema in Barry has been declared a “County Treasure” – but the move is unlikely to prevent it closing for good next week.

The final scene in the history of Barry Theatre Royal cinema – the only cinema left in the Vale of Glamorgan – is due to be played out on April 10 when the doors will close for the last time.

The future of the building is uncertain, but campaigners fighting for it to remain as a cinema or community centre fear it could be developed as flats, houses or shops.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Cabinet has now agreed to list the building as a County Treasure, alongside the two shelters on the Barry Island seafront, the town’s Memorial Hall, the Merchant Seamen’s Memorial and Jenner Park School.

While the designation is unlikely to prevent the closure of the cinema, it will be given extra protection from “unsympathetic” development.

Rob Quick, the Vale’s director of environmental and economic regeneration told the Cabinet: “The council has received a number of requests from the public to include the building on the County Treasures list.”

The County Treasures list was set up by the former South Glamorgan County Council to give recognition to buildings which fail to warrant national or exceptional importance or formal listed status.

He said it was understood that an attempt to have the building listed as being of historical or architectural importance had failed. He continued: “As built, the building was not as lavish as indicated on the architect’s perspectives.

“Although built as a theatre, it was quite quickly developed into a cinema in the 1920s and was refurbished between 1939 and 1945, when the original stage end was blocked off and a new gallery constructed.

“The most modern period of architecture is undistinguished. However, as an historic building it is more notable as a centre for public assembly and entertainment and does, therefore, have some recognisable value in the historic and cultural development of the town. For this reason it would qualify as a County Treasure.”

Wendy Marsh, leading the campaign to prevent the cinema closure, said: “It is a good, popular and viable cinema, loved by a lot of people. It is part of the town’s history.”