Published Date: 15 March 2010

A move is being made to
secure listed status for
Scarborough's Futurist
Theatre.

Campaigners for the survival of the under-threat theatre believe they have found compelling evidence why it should become a protected building.

They hope to submit an application for listed status to English Heritage within the next few days. The

application is the work of volunteers the Alternative Task Group which was set up in opposition to the officially sanctioned Task Group formed by Scarborough Council to discuss the theatre's future.

The group says that, because the Futurist is one of the UK's few surviving 1920s Supercinemas and was designed by celebrated theatrical architect Frank Tugwell, it has a good chance of becoming a listed building.

Patricia David, the group's research co-ordinator, said: "The Futurist is of such architectural importance to the whole of theatre and cinema history in the UK that it deserves to be preserved.

"It's one of very few Supercinemas that survive – one we're sure of is the Stockport Plaza, which does have listed status and has how been refurbished.

"We've looked deeply into the building's architectural and theatrical
history since the construction started in 1920 and found some amazing stuff."

Supercinemas, which were based on American picture houses, were a trend
in the 1920s, capable of containing huge audiences they typically also included a stage as well as a big screen.

Frank Tugwell, the Futurist's architect, also designed the Savoy Theatre in London, York's Theatre Royal and Scarborough's Opera House, the site of which is now occupied by a casino.

For more on this story read Monday's scarborough Evening News

Page 1 of 1

Last Updated: 15 March 2010 1:06 PM
Source: n/a
Location: Scarborough

Bookmark:

Del.icio.us Post this story to Del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

StumbleUpon Post this story to stumbleupon

2 3 4

Last

Neil Warnock has resigned,

Scarborough 15/03/2010 13:47:14

The disgusting facade should be removed and the site restored to it's former glory.However this needs to be done with private investment and no input from the public coffers.In these current times we need to prioritise funds and use them sensibly(Please take note SBC).Hopefully the Stead family can sell the idea of a revitalised Futurist to the private sector and give Scarborough a facility that we can be proud of instead of the eyesore that currently exists.
Good Luck,You'll need it

Report Unsuitable

heavensentmum,

15/03/2010 14:07:36

Scarborough does need a indoor theatre capable of drawing large audiences and class acts and be able to support itself financially but the layout of the futurist does not make this possible. As someone who spent many a happy evening in the artists bar accessed through a small door at the back of the building it would be a shame to see this building go but sentiment cannot over rule economics so to make the building in to a listed one with all the restrictions that entails will put more of a burden onto tax payers who are feeling the strain.

Report Unsuitable

Markdrum,

15/03/2010 14:28:45

#2, Absolutely, the building may have been fit for purpose when it was designed but now with all the equipment touring productions bring with them it just hasn't the access or the layout. All the listing will do is make it harder for SBC to do anything with it, for good or bad. It looks awful as it is at the moment and as Heavensent points out, no more cost to the taxpayer please, can't afford another hike in CT next year.

Report Unsuitable

tinpotgodslayer,

scarborough 15/03/2010 14:43:12

Is the case being put here, that it would be best served by puling the theatre down and re-building to accomodate the acts required to ensure a profit is turned and that a varied program can be drawn to the theatre.Rather than having it listed, as 2# points out, all the trouble changing anything would then be exacerbated tenfold and very costly.

If privately funded that is fine but as the others state, not at the expence of the tax payers.

Report Unsuitable

Amaroo,

Scarborough 15/03/2010 14:50:18

As was commented on Radio York after a meeting by a council official last week. The Futurist would have to be taken over by private enterprise if it were to continue.

This is where I believe the council have the legalities now in place to say they are closing it and the whole site back to King Street will be redeveloped.

The only hiccup is the council own the theatre, and three units on the site were owned by a local businessman under a 999-year lease. Now, one of the units has been bought by the council for £520,000. Of that, £412,000 was provided by Yorkshire Forward, and the remaining £108,000 was drawn from council cash reserves.

Two other smaller units were included in the deal, and these have now been rented back to their original owner on a 125-year lease.

I am surprised that a report has not appeared in the SEN of the meeting last week in which I believe the South Side Traders attended including Mr. Senior with the council and whoever.

Report Unsuitable

Dmode,

15/03/2010 15:17:11

As much as I dont like the modern look it has and its had years of lack of investment, what is the point in listing it, if left to go rotten and decaying which it is, its barely standing still. It needs a lot of money spent on it just to look good let alone appeal to many people now due to size, and lack of car park etc

Report Unsuitable

Marlowe,

Scarborough 15/03/2010 15:33:30

Re 5. Amaroo, don't be surprised - that story was on p3 of the SEN on Friday. Are you another one of the posters here who don't buy the paper?

Report Unsuitable

BnP,

SCARBOROUGH 15/03/2010 15:39:00

What is the matter with these MUPPETS, The theatre is the 5th biggest in the country and should be restored and saved never mind spending all the money on THE SPA Which only holds about a 1000 whereas The Futurist holds about 2,300 ripe for concerts and BIG names..not the chuckle brothers etc!!!! So wake up and put Scarborough back on the map as a leading entertainment resort.

Report Unsuitable

Markdrum,

15/03/2010 16:31:56

#8, It is a shame and if SBCs head had been discernible from Benchmark's rear over the last five years they might have been able to actually plan something coherent, ie, Keep watersplash, we all loved it, refurb the futurist as it deserves the time and energy spending on it as payback for the decades of good times it has provided for millions of families, spend minimal money on the spa until its schedule of pompous classical concerts, political conferences and Dinner dances have paid for its renovations and leave the OAT alone for the time being until a more confidence inducing plan has been arrived at, a bit more than a Wayne's World "book them and they will come" strategy. Its obvious the can'tcil have made up their mind, OAT, SPA, knock down futurist and let private equity take up the challenge of providing something for holiday makers to do on a night,,,, Come on kids, we are off to the casino!!!!!!

Report Unsuitable

hometownboy,

15/03/2010 16:46:51

Good luck in the fight to save this Iconic building. If the cladding was removed it would be one of the most photogenic buildings in the town.As it stands at the moment it looks like a 1960s monstrosity from the outside , no wonder some people want to see it knocked down,while inside it still retains some of its original elegance.
Where else will they be able to hold shows that have been rained off at peasholm park or the OAT ?
Some theatres and cinemas in the country raise funds for the upkeep by offering sponsorship and they put plaques on the seats or on the walls showing which local businesses or individuals are supporting the building.If it works elsewhere then why not in the Futurist ?

Report Unsuitable

2 3 4

Last