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News
       www.ilkestonlife.com                                                                                   ILKESTON LIFE                                                                                      February 2022    6
       Ritz will not become homes                                                                                                       What are your




                                                                                                                                        the Ritz cinema?
          he Ritz Cinema restoration has   buildings.                opment strategy. This is a working                                 memories of
       Tbegun with work to re-open the   In Long Eaton, it plans to demolish   plan that sets out the key priori-                       What would you
       three shops on the ground floor.  the Galaxy Cinema to make way   ties for the borough’s pandemic                                like it to be in the
       The new owners say they have   for flats. But the Ritz has legal pro-  recovery. We want to continue the                         future?  Let us
       plans for the rest of the llkeston   tection from bulldozers and was the  drive to see our economy grow and
       building which are “definitely not   recent subject of a letter to Ilkeston   to ensure we take full advantage of                know.
       residential.”                  Life, suggesting it would make a   opportunities on offer.”
       Scaffolding is on the South Street   fine theatre.            The Ritz opened as a cinema in
       frontage where the shops form part   That was welcomed by council-  1938, designed by architect Regi-
       of the art deco building, which is   lor James Dawson, deputy leader   nald Cooper. It is said to be partly
       on a national list of historic struc-  of the minority Labour group on   inspired by Odeon cinemas which
       tures.                         Erewash.                       had German design influences from
       It is owned by HBW, which con-  He said: “I would like to see it as a   the 1920s.
       verted Ilkeston Co-op into flats   community arts space.      The legal protection covers elabo-
       with ground floor shops, offices and  “It is a part of Ilkeston history and   rate art deco plasterwork inside the
       a gym.                         it would be a shame if any of that   building, which was last used as a
       Office manager Jo Stewart said:   is lost.”                   bingo hall.
       “We have started work on the three   The council said that it currently   It has not been used for several
       shops and want to bring them back   has no planning application for the   years and was on the market for
       to their original former glory.  Ritz. The shop work does not need   £660,000 two years ago.
       “It is a listed building and every-  approval.                An expert report describes it as “a
       body appreciates that.         Conservative councillor Michael   remarkably complete example of a
       “We have uses for the rest of the   Powell, the lead member for re-  fine cinema of the 1930s, the exte-
       building and are waiting for Ere-  generation, said: “We have always   rior `show’ elevations an exercise
       wash Council to get back to us.  made it clear that we are happy   in converging mass and stream-
       “It is not, definitely not, going to be  to talk to the owners of key sites   lining in the `Odeon’ manner, the
       residential. There are the original   and buildings in our borough and,   interior with much Art Deco fibrous
       steps in the cinema and other fabu-  indeed, have done so on several   plasterwork.
       lous things.”                  occasions and continue to do so.  “Cooper is recognised as one of
       She said there has already been   “We are open to offering advice   the most important provincial
       interest from people keen on the   and guidance on any possible   architects working the cinema
       shop premises, including plans for   planning applications as part of our   genre, and this is perhaps his finest
       a large tea room.              commitment to breathing new life   surviving work.”
       The borough council is seeking to   into our towns.
       revive town centres and has just   “We will shortly be asking resi-  Ilkeston’s Ritz cinema - a splendid iconic building in its heyday - is now an eyesore after being targeted
       published a report speaking of   dents and businesses for their views  by vandals.  After closing as a picture house, it became a bingo hall but has been unused for some years.
       problems posed by large empty   on our proposed economic devel-  The owners have started  restoration work and are willing to listen to ideas for its future.
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