... a future for the Futurist?

I enjoy serendipity, the pleasure of the unknown, how one thing leads unexpectedly to another ...

Lucy Dusgate at Lumen had asked if I could take some photographs to assist one of the artists who has been commissioned as part of the imove project ...

and so it came to pass that on Friday I found myself in the company of Andrew and Colin at the Futurist Theatre, Scarborough ... ah the Futurist 

 .... 2100 seats, 70mm projector, a cinema and theatre crying out for a future ...

it should be the jewel in a regional and national cinematic crown, the centrepiece of a Scarborough film festival, with Scarborough as the Cannes of the north, Sandside as La Croisette,  red carpets, premieres, movie stars ... or perhaps Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo?

who knows what the possibilities might be?  

well it turns out that a serious possibility is that this gem will be demolished.  

Intrigued by the Futurist and wanting to know more, I went along this evening to a talk given by Scarborough Council Strategic Director David Archer to the Castle Ward Tenants and Residents Association.  

He set out the process which would lead to the council "Task Force" making a recommendation on the future of the Futurist.  He laid great stress on how transparent the process will be (always worrying when a Council officer mentions transparency as frequently as he did) and on the contribution that the expert consultants retained by the Council will make (even mor worrying when a Council Officer mentions "experts" as frequently as he did).  

It was clear to me from his vocabulary, from his body language, and from his prickly response to my statement that the Futurist lies within the Conservation Area (my mistake, alas it doesnt) that his preference is for the Futurist to be demolished.  He pointed the audience at the reams of paper that have been generated by "experts" since 1995.  These can all be accessed on the Scarborough Council website (follow this link)

However, perhaps this is will not happen.  There are two campaigns running to ensure that the Futurist is retained:  this one by the Scarborough Evening News (hope that is still a current campaign!);  and a facebook campaign (definitely current).  

In addition, an "Alternative Task Force" is now up and running to offer a counter-point to the Scarborough Council "Task Force".  This group intends to submit an application to have the Futurist designated as a Listed Building (read about it here).

You can read more about the history of the Futurist here, here, and on wikipedia.  The official Futurist website gives details about the future programme ...

so perhaps all is not lost and there is a future for the Futurist ... I will return to this subject again ...