Catherine calls for action to save Art Deco treasure in Ilkeston
Catherine Atkinson, Labour Candidate for Erewash, has challenged Erewash Borough Council to step in and take action to save the Grade II listed former Ritz Cinema from disrepair.
The bingo hall closed in July 2018 and is on the market for £660,000.
Catherine said “We are watching this building fall to bits pieces by piece and it’s very sad. I am really worried it is going to be left unused and decaying and we’re going to lose it. It has been on the market for long enough and it is now time for the Council, and if needs be the Government, to step in and coordinate action to protect it from deteriorating further. The first step should be to designate it as a Asset of Community Value to generate interest in reopening it for the community. Ideally I would like to see the renovation of this building at the heart of the a wider strategy of rejuvenation or our town centre.”
“A Labour Government would give Councils powers to reopen empty shops and give them over to start-up businesses and community organisations and as MP I would be looking to make sure the powers extended to old cinema and bingo hall buildings.”
Catherine is backed by Ilkeston Councillors (see photo) Frank Phillips, Glennice Birkin, John and Linda Frudd, and James Dawson.
Awsworth Road Labour Councillor James Dawson said:
“It’s an iconic piece of 1930’s Art Deco architecture which has been a part of Ilkeston town scape since 1938. As a grade 2 listed building for its ‘remarkably complete example of a fine cinema of the 1930s, by Reginald Cooper who is recognised as one of the most important provincial architects working the cinema genre, and this is perhaps his finest surviving work.’ It would be a shame if such an iconic building becomes lost forever.”
Contact Catherine: 07786 462990
