Cinema sells off car park to fund second screen and future projects

The Phoenix Cinema has put the car park at the rear of its auditorium on the market
for offers over £400,000 to raise cash for future refurbishment projects, including a
long-awaited second screen.
Estate agents Martyn Gerrard are handling the sale of the spare land measuring 2,600
sq ft, calling it “an exciting development opportunity”. It has been listed as ‘unconsented’
meaning any buyer would need to draw up plans and secure permission for building work.
The plot is accessed through a gate and single width entrance at the rear of the cinema. It is
currently unused except for a couple of small outbuildings.
Phoenix trustees had once considered it as the site for the second screen that they hope
will transform the fortunes of the cinema but that was ruled out because it would have
involved knocking through the listed walls of the auditorium to connect it to the main building.
The latest plans for a second screen are to house it in part of the space now occupied by the
café and upper foyer. These have been given planning permission. A second screen would broaden the Phoenix’s programme options and enable it to show popular films for longer runs.
Alison Gold, chair of the Phoenix Cinema trustees, said the potential sale of the car park would be a massive step on the way to funding such a conversion along with other refurbishment work that the
charity wants to carry out. “Because we cannot connect this land to the main building without demolishing all or some of the listed walls on that side, it’s a plot that isn’t really helping us deliver the purpose of the charity,” she told The Archer. “For years it has been sitting there empty, aside from a little bit of storage, so the time has come to make better use of it. We’ve come to the conclusion that selling it hopefully for a good price is the right move
and we will certainly be able to make good use of any money it raises.