MSPs and MPs join campaign to save Odeon

NINE politicians have signed up to support the campaign to save the former Odeon cinema.

The MSPs and MPs joined forces by putting their name to an open letter sent to the city council by Southside Community Council, which is fighting for the historic B-listed building to be restored and reopened as a cinema and arts venue.

Last week, owner of the Clerk Street cinema - Duddingston House Properties (DHP) - confirmed that the property agents acting on its behalf had been unable to find a buyer following a four-month marketing campaign.

DHP wants to demolish parts of the building and turn it into a hotel, but the plans were put on ice by a Scottish Government reporter after appeals by Historic Scotland, which said the building should be marketed again in the hope of avoiding any demolition.

Three offers were received, all of which were for less than half the independent valuation of 2.93 million.

The building has lain empty since it closed seven years ago and its condition is deteriorating.

MSPs Sarah Boyack, George Foulkes, Robin Harper, Margo MacDonald, Ian McKee, Mike Pringle, and Shirley-Anne Somerville, as well as MPs Sheila Gilmore and Ian Murray, have backed the Save the Odeon Campaign.

In the cross-party letter, which was addressed to councillor Jim Lowrie, the council's head of planning John Bury, and council leader Jenny Dawe, the politicians state: "The fate of this important part of Edinburgh and Scotland's heritage hangs in the balance. It is time for this unique building to be back where it belongs - at the heart of the community, and open to all as a thriving centre for cinema and the arts.

'We therefore fully support Southside Community Council in pressing for urgent repairs to the building, and call on the City of Edinburgh Council to secure its future'.

An e-petition signed by more than 2,000 people also calls on the city council to initiate "urgent compulsory repairs" and set in motion compulsory purchase proceedings.

MSP for Edinburgh Central, Sarah Boyack, said: "I think it would be deeply disappointing if we were to lose the chance of a building that could still have an art and community use."

Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray added: "The life has been pretty much sucked out of that part of the street. If we were to have thousands of people a week using the street, it would give it a boost, whereas a hotel won't really do that."

Meanwhile, chair of Southside Community Council, Hilary McDowell, said the political support was "extremely encouraging".

Director of DHP, Bruce Hare, said the company had now applied for the final consent for its proposal to convert the building into a hotel.

A spokesman for the city council said: "DHP have submitted an application for the former Odeon cinema."