Cinema trustees defend decision to sell off spare land

Trustees of the Phoenix Cinema have defended their decision to put the unused car park at the rear of the venue on the market after a group of members called on them to halt the sale and consider other options.

We reported last month that the spare land measuring 2,600 sq ft was being marketed by estate agents Martyn Gerrard as “an exciting development opportunity” for offers over £400,000. It has since been sold subject to contract.

Following our report, three of the cinema’s supporters wrote to the trustees saying they were deeply concerned at the sale of a valuable asset and protesting that it had not been openly publicised to the local community or the cinema membership. They started a petition which at the time of press had gathered 300 signatures.

Stephen Kersley, Ruth Kersley and Rachael Harvey said: “We ask that Trustees please respect the community’s wishes, halt the sale and arrange to hold a meeting inviting members to join in a discussion about your proposals and invite ideas and input from our community about how best to use the land to support the cinema.”

Financial pressures

In response the nine trustees of the cinema charity, who are volunteers, told members that they had looked at a range of options and shared their thinking at their AGM and with cinema staff prior to taking the final decision to sell the land.

“Like all cinemas and theatres, since the pandemic the Phoenix has suffered the double whammy of higher costs (particularly energy) and lower admissions. UK cinema admissions are still 30% down on pre-pandemic levels. Most months we do not break even and this is creating a risk that the cinema becomes insolvent and would have to cease trading,” they wrote.

“While we are aware that the sale is a one-off move, there is no purpose to retaining it and it is clearly best to realise its value before it is too late to use the proceeds. We will invest the money in creating a second screen and bringing the main auditorium up to audience expectations, particularly with new comfortable seating.”

The Phoenix bought the land 40 years ago along with the freehold of the cinema. Although accessible as a car park it has remained unused for most of that time except for a few temporary outbuildings.