The Electric cinema developer breaks silence on real 'very sensitive' plans

A property developer has denied rumours that it plans to 'bulldoze' The Electric cinema - but admitted the venue would need major 'reinventing' to 'survive another century'. Glenbrook this week announced plans to redevelop the UK's oldest working cinema, based on Birmingham's historic Station Street.

Rumours had been swirling online that the Manchester-based developer might demolish the entire site after it closed in February. But Glenbrook yesterday denied those claims, saying it "recognises" its "cultural value" and is committed to preserving it as an independent cinema.

Investment in the new cinema would be supported through the delivery of built-to-rent homes in a tower block behind The Electric, said the firm. Glenbrook also revealed aspirations - with backing from key partners such as Birmingham City Council - to see Station Street radically transformed into a lively neighbourhood and public realm closed to traffic.

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Glenbrook is the leaseholder of 43-45, 47, and 51-55 Station Street. That covers The Electric and adjacent buildings, but not the recently Grade ll-listed Crown pub or Old Rep - neither of which it says it has any commercial interest in.

If plans went ahead, The Electric would likey transform and alter drastically inside. Additional screens could potentially be added, Glenbrook said, along with creating a bigger food and drink space.

The developer said it would also like to host film festivals at the venue, and see a permanent exhibition in place celebrating the history of Birmingham film. That along with temporary spaces for 'artistic expression, education and cultural celebration'.

Glenbrook said it could not commit to a full heritage-led restoration as The Electric had "already lost many original features". The firm added: "The Electric has constantly evolved to survive, having been constructed, reconstructed and altered on multiple occasions. This is a part of its character and history. It may need to change again."

We chat to the boss on The Electric and Station Street's future

Glenbrook's development director, Sunny Johal, told us that any new cinema would "100 per cent" remain independently-operated. "We're not interested in bringing a commercial [cinema] operator here," he said when quizzed if Odeon or similar could move in.

Mr Johal, from Birmingham, and who also led the city's billion-pound Paradise development, said his team had asked themselves: "How do we create, or reinvigorate, a historic asset and then open it up to a wider audience? How do we make it more inclusive?

"There's not many streets within the UK [unlike Station Street] that can really say they've got that amount of cultural heritage assigned to it over 100 metres - it's phenomenal. But you need to create the reason for people wanting to be there.

"Station Street's already got that, without having to do any work, and we're very sensitive to that. The cinema is fundamental to the whole process. Our commitment is that The Electric is an independently-operated cinema within the new regeneration - 100 per cent."

The property boss added: "But we need to create an offering that isn't just about cinema. [Instead] it's about food, it's about film exhibition space, it's about creating a venue that hopefully the British Film Institute could use as a flagship for film within the UK.

"To do that, naturally, you need a good public realm. But we'd need to collaborate with other partners to make that happen."

Mr Johal said he and his team believe Station Street has "far more potential" than what it currently offers. "The 'Spanish Steps' from New Street are supposed to be a front door to the city," he said.

"But at the moment, it's a back door. People go out towards New Street, or the Bullring, no one actually comes to this side of the city. You've got the Hippodrome, we've got the Alexandra Theatre, all these amazing venues, but people don't really know.

"What this has the potential to be is a real heartbeat for all of those venues to come together and to give them a chance of life and an injection of energy. This is about creating a night and day economy in Station Street."

When asked about public backlash amid fears The Electric would be demolished, Mr Johal said he understood the "high emotion" as he himself is a Brummie "born and bred". "We've been caught in a lot of things that the city has been dealing with," he admitted.

"The public has been disappointed, whether it's cuts, whether it's The Crooked House. This is coming at a time when there's a lot of high emotion. We're very sensitive to that, and that's why we've taken as long as we have to publicly display our ambition.

"We knew when we did it had to be right. We're asking the question of what's right for the city, culturally. Even though I've got a personal bias to the city, we see the raft of potential Birmingham has still got for the future.

"It's going to be a slow and steady journey but one we're very passionate about. The critical thing for us is we always deliver - we don't give people lip service."

What are your thoughts on Glenbrook's plans? Want want to hear from you - email harry.leach@reachplc.com