A Sombre Day

Today is the 6-month anniversary of Glenbrook Property pulling the plug on The Electric Cinema. 

The projectors are gone. Half the famous lettering above the entrance has been stolen or lost and the building, that was once a huge source of civic pride, sits cold, damp and boarded up by the greed of property developers. 

Every big city will have big, tall, buildings in 5-10 years. They'll all be shiny & barely distinguishable from one another.  And then every city will be desperate for things that set it apart. Things like The Electric, The Old Rep or The Crown.

What Can You Do?

Today would be a good day to email your MP, Politely email Glenbrook Property your feedback, tweet or email the West Midlands Mayor or your councillors. Or even just retweet/share something on social media.

If you’re in town and want to take pictures of you outside The Electric or The Crown, or just a pic of the buildings you can always send them to us on twitter: Save Station Street Campaign or via email or the Save The Electric Cinema Facebook group.

So where are we?

Historic England Listing: Has been due imminently for the best part of 2 weeks now. We keep waiting patiently. They're busy, it is summer holiday season etc. Future direction of travel depends on this. But we have plans either way.

Independent Feasibility Study: Ongoing. Project Manager and Flatpack are overseeing phase one. Takes time though. Needs to be spot on so those involved are being super precise and have integrity of the study at the top of their priorities. 

Glenbrook Plans: We've still only seen the mood boards Glenbrook presented at the open day. Considering the state they’ve let The Electric fall into (missing lettering on signs, fly tipping, people using the steps for drinking and anti-social behaviour) we’ve not been impressed recently.

West Midlands Mayor: We're meeting him on 1st October. 

MP's: We've invited Lisa Nandy and Chris Bryant at Department for Culture, Media and Sport to tour the venues on Station Street so that we can show the importance of the street to global pop-culture, its huge civic pride and tourist potential. This invite has been extended to my local MP Al Carns, The MP for Ladywood where The Electric sits, Shabana Mahmood and other local MP's. If you know any of the local MP's do encourage them to get in touch. If only because having a tour of a nice old building is a fun thing to do.

Birmingham Council: Sadly, pulled match funding from Chamberlain Highbury Trust recently for the refurb of Chamberlain Highbury Estate. Which indicates where they are with Heritage. We believe the profit potential of Station Street (Pubs, Gigs, Theatre, Film, Food and Beverage provision etc.) makes Station Street a unique proposition. We maintain the best option for Birmingham residents, BCC & Station Street would be for the council to compulsory purchase Station Street and flip it immediately to a beneficial ownership trust or someone like National Trust to act as 'good landlords' for the benefit of Birmingham, its cultural history and Brummies. This is a key city gateway being neglected and a site of huge income generation potential through arts, tourism and hospitality. Not acting is neglect of the highest order.

And that is your update. I’m now going to hit send and remember something I’ve forgotten as per usual. 

This is your city. Your history. Your civic pride.
Station Street has changed global popular culture for a century.
Don’t let neglect / greed of property developers destroy that. 
Stay angry at the situation. 
Keep poking bears with Brummie politeness and humour.
Keep calling on your political and civic leaders to act in your interests.

Best wishes, 
Darren John,
Founder, 
Save Station Street Campaign