Councillor backs calls to save Imax (From Bournemouth Echo)

Councillor backs calls to save Imax

8:00am Thursday 4th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(9)

By Melanie Vass »

THE Save the Imax campaign has recruited its first supporter from Bournemouth council.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Roger West is the only councillor to publicly oppose plans to get rid of the Waterfront building.

The council’s decision to purchase the head lease for £5 million and spend a further £2.5 million ensuring vacant possession and “substantially demolishing” the building has cross-party backing.

But Cllr West, who represents Redhill and Northbourne, said: “The idea of spending a fortune just knocking it down seems to be completely wrong and lacking in imagination.”

Instead, he wants to see an art exhibition space created in the building, along the lines of the Tate St Ives and Tate Liverpool.

“Tate Bournemouth would really put this town on the map,” he said. “In 2006, a survey identified that over 42 million of us visited an art gallery, more than attended a football match.

“It could be linked by promotion to the Russell Cotes which could help to raise the profile of that excellent museum.

“We could use the space to promote the media side of the University and Arts University College and showcase students’ work including their marvellous short films.

“This would in turn not just bring the building to life but would help it sustain a really good restaurant on the top floor.”

The Save the Imax Building campaign on Facebook has been started by speechwriter and author Brian Jenner and currently has 140 members.

He has spoken of a cultural “crisis” locally, with the loss of Borders and the Kube and the town almost completely dominated by commercial businesses.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(9)