Our Architects have produced proposals for the restoration of the cinema, which are compatible with heritage considerations.

The materials used in the original construction, including the unique pressed tin panels and original colour scheme will be researched.

The planned restoration of the historic Curzon Community Cinema moved a step closer this week with the announcement by the Board of Trustees of how it plans to go about phasing the restoration project over a number of years.

Announcing the decision, Trustee Chair Chris Brain, said, "The Heritage Lottery Fund are supportive of our project, and gave us a Project Planning Grant in 2004 to develop our thinking. We used the Grant to commission a Conservation Report, an Audience Development Report and an Access Audit from a team of experts. The Board has now decided what needs to be done first and also how the later stages should be programmed. It means that we will start to see something happening on the ground more quickly than if we had tried to get funds for the whole project at once."

A critical elements for the Curzon restoration is fundraising The Curzon will need to match any Lottery funding with somewhere between 25% and 40% of the restoration cost. This means raising capital of between £1.25m and £2m.

Curzon Vice-Chair and Director of Fundraising, Hilary Neal is confident that the Curzon can raise that sort of money. "Doing the restoration project in manageable stages makes the fundraising task less risky and also means that the priority elements of the project can happen earlier.

"Once we get the phasing approved by HLF we can, with the support of our advisors, map out a fundraising strategy that delivers what we need, when we need it. Fundraising is never easy. But we know how important the survival of the Curzon is to the local community and they want us to succeed. We fully expect that as we go along people will see what we are achieving and be inspired to keep supporting us "

The next task for the Curzon is to commission detailed cost estimates for the scheme. Armed with this information and with its fundraising strategy in place, an application will be made to HLF for a Project Development Grant that will cover cost of preparation of detailed architects drawings and an application for the various consents needed, such as planning consent, listed building consent and conservation area consent.

The expected phases are as follows:

• Preliminary Phase: Application for Development Funding from HLF
• Phase One: Roof Structure
• Phase Two: Construction of Educational Lecture Theatre, and refurbishment of 'stable block'
• Phase Three: Restoration of main auditorium, screen and metal panelling (excluding fit-out of Grand Circle & restoration of side boxes)
• Phase Four: Restoration and fit-out of Grand Circle, boxes and installation of lift and staircase access to upper floors (includes construction of atrium foyer, subject to availability of funding)
• Phase Five: Restoration of Oak Room Café and windows, creation of top floor conference suite (would include atrium foyer if not constructed under Phase Four).
• Phase Six: Façade and stonework and restoration of shop units.
  
  

Take a virtual tour of the building, created in August 2001

Click on these pictures for a more detailed view of the plans (the graphics are around 170k each, so they may take a while to download)

You can contribute your comments via email to info@curzon.org.uk.

Find out more: we hold Heritage Open Days at the Curzon, with behind the scenes tours, poster sales, archive screenings & more
See What's On and Home pages for dates, and take a virtual tour to see behind the scenes right now.