Croydon Labour: | Labour backs David Lean Cinema at Clocktower

Labour backs David Lean Cinema at Clocktower

Following the decision of the Conservative council to try and deceive the public that the David Lean Cinema had been 'saved' by being moved to the Fairfield Halls, Labour calls for an end to this damaging speculation and for the historic Cinema to stay put at the Clocktower.

Under Conservative cuts, the Arts have been dramatically reduced, and the David Lean Cinema – an intimate, air-conditioned cinema, is being closed down. The equipment is being given to the Fairfield Halls and their film programme is being re-branded 'The David Lean' as one of only two conditions for their annual £750,000 grant. The other was to provide a business plan!

Labour Leader Cllr Tony Newman said: “We all love the Fairfield Halls, but rebranding the Fairfield Film programme under the 'David Lean' banner is not appropriate to a man that we honoured in 1994 when the Cinema was opened.

The Fairfield will not accommodate the Cinema in the same way that the Clocktower building is able to. Using the Cinema as a political football is a disgrace to the memory of Sir David Lean, the man who famously produced Brief Encounter and Lawrence of Arabia.”

Labour’s spokesperson, Cllr Maggie Mansell said: ‘Many people from Tory peer Lord Fellowes to Ronnie Corbett have made a personal appeal to Cllr Fisher to reconsider his decision. Why would Cllr Fisher want to destrory a further piece of Croydon’s heritage.

Factfile:-

1. The Croydon clocktower was opened in 1994/1995 under the Labour Administration

2. Labour invested in the Clocktower between 1994 - 2006.

3. The election of a Conservative Administration in Croydon continued its funding in part, until closing it down in April 2011.

4 The Council has lost an annual grant of £100k from the Arts Council for the Clocktower.