THURROCK Council's neglect of its duty towards safeguarding the Grade II*-listed State Cinema in Grays continues to frustrate those attempting to save the badly damaged building falling into a further state of disrepair.

However, despite repeated calls from organisations trying to save the art-deco-style cinema, the council continues to refuse to explain why it has stood by over two decades and has not enforced its lawful powers.

The council is the lawful authority responsible for the protection of the building and has a range of measures at its disposal including carrying out the work and charging the owners and issuing enforcement notices which could lead to court action, potentially huge fines and even jail!

But its inaction, described as 'appalling' by the Cinema Theatre Association - one of the bodies desperate to save the building – has left the site in devastating mess – and it may now not be possible to restore it. Nub News highlighted a gaping hole in building's roof in November last year.

Just weeks before it was discovered, Thurrock Council leader Cllr Mark Coxshall had pledged the cinema building was safe on his watch.

After it was announced plans by pub chain Wetherspoons to convert the site into a flagship pub had been abandoned, he said: "We were disappointed to learn that Wetherspoons are no longer progressing with their plans for the State Cinema building and now plan to sell it.

"We worked closely with them throughout the planning process and we are ready to work closely with the building's new owner in the hope that the doors can open again soon.

Cllr Mark Coxshall promised council action - none was forthcoming. A fact he later shame-facedly acknowledged in full council.

"In the meantime we will ensure proper measures to protect this listed building are taken by the owners. This will not prevent us from taking enforcement action if the building is not properly protected."

However, nothing has been done to stop water pouring into the building through the winter - wreaking more devastation on top of previous damage.

The lack of council action when it was repeatedly informed of the ongoing destruction of the building by the elements shocked campaigners and made a mockery of Cllr Coxshall's promise.

The gaping hole in the State roof was left uncovered through the winter.

Recently-released photographs of the inside of the building, taken under a gaping hole in the roof, bear testimony to the lack of action by the council.

Yet it still continues to prevaricate and is refusing to explain why it appears not to care about an iconic building that has played a significant role in the town's life.

Pressed several times by Thurrock Nub News over recent weeks it has refused to elaborate on what has happened or what its plans are.

The building was recently sold by the Wetherspoons pub chain who failed to deliver on plans, that were twice approved by the council, to restore the site and turn it into a showcase pub.

It is believed the new owners, who remain unknown but are reported to be an investment company, bought the dilapidated shell for around half a million pounds.

Observors of the building say it is now close to being unstable and dangerous and that the only course of action may well be to demolish it on safety grounds.

Were that to be the case, its new owners would suddenly have a valuable piece of brownfield real estate on their hands at a knockdown price! Cynics say the council has allowed a potential scandal of maladministration and neglect to unravel on its watch while it sat on its hands and did nothing.

Independent publisher B24/7 reported on the destruction of Bristol's historic Brodway cinema.

Campaigners point to the fate of the historic and late art deco style Bristol Broadway cinema, where demolition work started recently to raze the 85-year-old building to the ground.

Campaigners wanted to retain at least part of the building, which did not have graded status, though campaigners used it as an example of the need for a new class of grading, ie 'grade Three-listed', for historic buildings that didn't quite meet the grade two statute. However, Bristol Council supported the demolition and a plan to build 30 new homes and some commercial space on the site.

Following publication of the damning pictures of the State cinema and no sign of any preventative action being taken at the building, Thurrock Nub News editor Neil Speight contacted the council on Monday, 3 April to say: "I am sure you will have seen the latest pictures from the State.

"This is a disgraceful situation and the new owners are clearly attempting to dodge the bullet already.

"The council must know who they are as there is a statuary duty related to the building's management.

"And, of course, the council is well aware who the previous owners were.

"As far as I can ascertain, despite comments by the leader, the council has taken no actual action in terms of enforcement.

"Can you please let me know exactly what the council's position is and explain why it has not taken enforcement action against Wetherspoons despite clear and flagrant breaches of the obligations it has and which the council has a public duty to enforce?"

The council's response, sent the same day, was: "Thurrock Council is working with Historic England and both organisations are committed to working together to ensure the preservation of the building. This includes taking any appropriate legal measures to ensure the owners fulfil their obligations to preserve the State Cinema building."

Nub News responded by saying it was not an answer to the question, nor did it give any comfort or solace to those who are slowly watching the building crumble before their eyes.

We have had no response since – despite referring the matter to the council's new legal and monitoring officer and its new managing director. Silence and secrecy, it appears, remains the council's priority in adversity.

The price of council inaction. The centre picture shows the State in 2016 when it was bought by Watherspoons. The other four pictures show the legacy of that ownership and the council turning a blind eye as the fabric of the building rotted due to negligence.

The matter of the condition of the State cinema and the lack of action has been a blight on the council for many years.

Watchers of the building have reported the ingress of water from many places and damage being enhanced by plants and small bushes growing through crumbling masonry and brickwork.

Inside the building, many of its art deco features and plasterwork, which should be protected by the listed status, have been destroyed or badly damaged.

The position of the council is quite clear – it had and has, the power to act, as detailed in this link.

The failure of Wetherspoons to maintain the building is potentially a criminal act for which members of its management could even be jailed!

But as the 'policing' authority responsible to monitoring and enforcement, the council appears to have turned a blind eye.

Not that the matter has not been at the forefront of locals' attention – nor leading councillors.

In January this year the Cllr Coxshall was put on the spot by opposition leader Cllr John Kent at a full council meeting.

Cllr Kent asked Cllr Coxshall to 'set out the measures the council is taking to fulfil its obligations to protect the State Cinema'.

Cllr Mark Coxshall gave assurances about the State that have been overtaken by circumstance.

Cllr Coxshall responded by saying: "The council has been in discussion with the owner about the current conditions of the building and have advised the owner to take steps that consider necessary to secure the land in the short term to protect the building.

"Unfortunately, I am sorry to say at this time the owner has not taken any steps in relation to carry out any remedial works. The council is presently looking at what options are able to take to protect the shorter-term future of the building."

That prompted Cllr Kent to say: "We have all seen the pictures of the State, the pictures of the holes in the roof, that the building is clearly deteriorating and it's becoming a matter of real urgency to force the owners to fulfil their obligations as the owners of a grade-II* listed building.

"The council has obligations as well, the council has a statutory duty to ensure the safety of that building, so can I ask the portfolio holder to go back and to redouble the efforts and to report back to us soon as to progress and actually securing the building?"

To which a clearly embarrassed Cllr Coxshall responded by saying: "I actually thank Cllr Kent for bringing that here, so the council as a public body, that officers understand how imperative that is to the future of the town centre and it's upsetting that the owners haven't started that action and I have been pursuing that through my portfolio.

"I will mention it tomorrow in my portfolio report to senior officers that this has been asked at full council and I expect an answer to come back to you and I will request a written answer to you on what happens. I report regularly to ward councillors as to what actions have been taken and when they are going to be taken."

Words, it seems, are cheap but action for the cash-strapped council is too expensive.

A time machine. The State is a reminder of the borough's past but will it soon be reduced to rubble and memories because of a lack of care?

As well as not responding to the media and interested organisations, it appears officers give little credence to the council leader either and Cllr Kent says he did not receive any response.

However, he raised the matter again at full council, on Wednesday, 1 March and was scheduled to ask Cllr Coxshall: "Will the portfolio holder give an update in respect of work to ensure the council fulfils its obligations to protect the State Cinema?"

But the meeting ran out of time so he was unable to pose the the question in person.

He has since, however, received an answer from an officer which says: "The service had been working to persuade JD Wetherspoon to effect repairs for some time. Now the building has recently been sold, we are preparing to make contact with the new owner as soon as their details are made public.

"Since your last question, officers have also prepared the business case for approval should it be necessary to serve notice and potentially carry out the works ourselves.

"Just to give you some confidence the Director of Place has met with the regional Director of Historic England and following that the Assistant Director has met with other Historic England colleagues and we are working collaboratively with them. The Director has also been in regular correspondence with the Cinema Theatre Association." 

Then and now. Left, the stalls in 2016 - and how it looks now. This is Wetherspoons' legacy.

The matter is perhaps best summed up by the Cinema Theatre Association which believes the building is in the last moments of its sustainable life because of the continued inaction by its owners and the council.

A statement says: "The Cinema Theatre Association deplores the wilful neglect and damage to this historic listed cinema. Wetherspoons have owned it for seven years, and its condition has got steadily worse.

"Thurrock Council has been appallingly slow in using its powers to enforce repairs to the holes in the roof. Urgent action is needed now by Historic England and Thurrock to save this once fine cinema."

And a challenge has been issued to the council to publicly state its intentions.

The borough-based 'Save The State' campaign is also angry about the lack of action and says: "The Save The State campaign group are disappointed to see the disgraceful condition that this much loved heritage asset has been allowed to fall into during the ownership of JD Wetherspoon.

"We are also extremely disappointed that Thurrock Council, who have a statutory duty of care to the Grade II*-listed building, have entirely failed to enforce urgent repairs to the roof and the listed interiors.

"The campaign group now call upon the council to either issue an Urgent Works Notice to secure the roof, prevent further water ingress and bring forward a plan to reinstate the listed features or make a formal statement on why they are unwilling to take this course of action."