The campaign to save the Royal Town’s cinema continues. Last week I met the Friends of the Cinema in Sutton Coldfield Group, a new initiative set up by members of the community opposed to the decision to close the Empire cinema. The group are committed to retaining a cinema facility at the current site and to find a future solution that would serve community interests while being commercially viable.

There was agreement that it was necessary to preserve the current building through investments befitting of grade-listed properties. In addition to securing the right funding to ensure its proper restoration, it was also agreed that retaining the building’s use as a significant film venue in some form should be an integral part of a future solution.

The Group shared many creative ideas to make the whole site work for everyone and will draw upon the extensive experience of professional members, including lawyers, architects, business-owners, film makers, planners and people with experience in creating community interest groups.

I am pleased to see this community endeavour going from strength to strength – with a membership running in to the hundreds and rising. Its popularity is testament to the support throughout the Royal Town for this valuable cause. Their next step will be to formerly constitute as a community group and start to create a strategy and structure. This will not be a quick or simple process, but they are united in their mission and firm in the belief that commercial considerations, while important, cannot override community considerations.

As well as meeting the cinema owner to discuss the way ahead, I have also held discussions with Birmingham City Council’s Senior Planner who, like me, wants to see a guarantee that the cinema will reopen and that sufficient money for this purpose, including Section 106 (planning gain) money will be duly allocated.