save the cameo update

(Only interesting for Edinburgh based readers - sorry)

My uncle was at the public meeting which I couldn't make. Here's his report and Genni Poole the daughter of the former owner of the Cameo Jim Poole has got in touch with a few amendments and additions.
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The hall was packed with >300 people sitting and standing, to the surprise and delight of the organisers (and of councillor and MSP attending, one representing the Fountainbridge ward, the other the chair of the Scottish Parliament's Planning & Environmental Committee). Four main speakers: Genni Poole, (Save the Cameo)Sarah Boyack (MSP Edinburgh Central), Dr Gordon Barr (co-designer of a website on the history and architecture of Scottish cinemas) and the Fountanbridge Ward councillor Lorna Shiels.

The main news was that a City Screen rep met the ward councillor and the representative of Culture and Leisure Department of the Council. It became clear that City Screen and/or their architect had misled the Council over the planning application; they did not make it clear that there would be a substantive change of use of the main auditorium. Despite this, City Screen sent Genni Poole a long email on the afternoon of the meeting, in which they claimed that they had abortively tried to hold a meeting with Council officials "to which no one turned up" (although it was very short notice and two Council representatives managed to rearrange their schedules to attend); as a result they were instructing the architect "to withdraw the planning application" due to the opposition received.

Ginnie Atkinson also spoke, making it clear that, if it became possible, Film House would love to run the Cameo in tandem with Film House. She is writing a strategy paper re art films for submission to the council, who apparently give a small grant representing about 2% of Film Houses's income, It also emerged that the screen 2 space in the Cameo is owned by the Council and merely leased to City Screen (8.5 years to run, which is why City Screen were seeking an extension of the lease for another 50 years, so they could sell this leasehold on to a new buyer when they put The Cameo up for sale).

Someone in the audience pointed out that City Screen are merely a subsidiary of
the Allied Arts Media Group, whose main business is selling and renting DVDs. Their main interest is raising the level of profit from their art cinema chain, as the Group apparently lost about £1M last year. (NB The Cameo made a profit last year, but obviously not enough for the owners.)

Gordon Barr said that he had contacted Historic Scotland, to query the possibility of upgrading the Cameo's Listed Building status from C to B (which would make it more difficult for any owner to obtain consent for change of use). However, HS cannot change the status, while the Cameo is the subject of a planning application. If the application is rejected or withdrawn, then HS may look sympathetically at an upgrade, if there was sufficient strength of feeling.

Further actions were agreed, namely:
a) An attempt would be made to verify whether or not the planning application was being withdrawn.(To date the planning applications have not been withdrawn)
b) Meanwhile, objections from Save the Cameo members can still be lodged with the Council's Planning Department.but only until 9thDecember.This should be done through the campaign website link: www.savethecameo.org
c) Possible buyers for the Cameo (asking price £750,000) were being sought but, unless the current managementand staff were to be retained, cinema expertise would be needed by any new owner. (Ginny Atkinson commented that Film House could supply that, if requested.)
d) The website will be expanded and information circulated to everyone with an
email address (forms were available at the meeting).
e) People can write to HS supporting the proposed upgrade in Listed Building status.
f) Anyone with knowledge which could be of use was asked to contact the organisers (most of the work so far having been organised by Genni Poole).




Save the Cameo