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Woolton Picture house<\/p>\nCouple Kevin Fearon and Gill Miller, who are also behind the renaissance of the Royal Court, want to ensure that the much-loved venue reflects what people really want from it.<\/p>\n
Having been closed since Covid, and with concerns it might have screened its last film, the Picture House was given fresh hope when Kevin and Gill agreed a sale with the previous owner to secure the site.<\/p>\n
They set up a Community Interest Company (CIC), loaning a 10% deposit of the \u00a3450,000 purchase price to Woolton Cinema CIC, and intend to launch a fundraising campaign to cover the full cost of reopening and restoration once plans are clear.<\/p>\n
The pair, who live in south Liverpool, are keen that local people are given a say in those plans, which is why they\u2019ve arranged a series of community meetings in July and August.<\/p>\n
Kevin explains:<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment it\u2019s just Gill and I as the two directors but we\u2019re looking to broaden that board and have more people involved because it\u2019s not about us, we\u2019re the catalysts that got it started.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the reasons for these meetings is to find other people who, with us, can be the team that then reopens the cinema.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also want to hear people\u2019s opinions and ideas because there\u2019s no point doing this unless the community wants it and will use it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese meetings are to say, \u2018this is your building, what should the plans be?\u2019 We\u2019re not dictating it, we\u2019re just the people saying, \u2018what do you want to happen?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know people have an emotional investment in it \u2013 it was a closed building with no sign of reopening. Now I think people have realised that they\u2019ve lost something and if they don\u2019t use it then they\u2019ll lose it again so hopefully there\u2019s going to be a rebirth of the Picture House because people realise how important it was and still is to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Woolton Picture house<\/p>\n
Kevin says they are keeping a completely open mind over what could happen in the space.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a chain and it\u2019s not only a cinema, it\u2019s a community resource that shows films \u2013 it has to have another life and it has to be used more than just on a Saturday night when we can have a couple of hundred people in.<\/p>\n
\u201cFilm will always be at the heart of it, so there might be a film club we set up and show films voted for by the members. There are lots of ways we can make people feel connected and have an ownership in what we do.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we want is numbers, that\u2019s what\u2019s worked for us at the Royal Court. There\u2019s a sense of community in the auditorium when people watch shows because they\u2019re used to coming, they\u2019re not on their own, it\u2019s that shared experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn today\u2019s society where there\u2019s a lot of lonely people, I think it can be a place where you feel safe going on your own, staying for a coffee and seeing other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Woolton Cinema CIC will be run as a not-for-profit organisation, and Kevin hopes to have volunteers helping to run it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a lot of people contact us to say they\u2019d like to sell ice creams or be an usherette. You don\u2019t have to watch a film, you could open up or sell ice creams and still be part of things.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to bring together a lot of people who\u2019ve never met each other and that\u2019s already happening without even being open; just the process is going to start what I think will be the magic of the cinema: how it brings people together through film and other things as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting the cinema reopen and refurbished will be done in stages and realistically, even if the funding targets are reached, it will be 2026 before doors reopen. The big goal is Boxing Day 2027, the 100th anniversary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be making funding applications and officially launching a fundraiser once we\u2019ve had these community meetings and got everyone\u2019s feedback,\u201d adds Kevin. \u201cWe want to have a better picture of what we need to show people why we\u2019re asking for the money.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy one vision is to see it open and full, and if we get that I\u2019ll be happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first meetings will be on Thursday July 10 at 6pm, Saturday August 16 at 4pm and Wednesday August 27 at 6pm.<\/p>\n
Book a place at Woolton Picture House, limited to 100 per meeting, here<\/a>. Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.<\/strong>\u00a0
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