CAMPAIGNERS and cinema and theatre enthusiasts are calling on Thurrock Council to take urgent action to ensure repairs are made to save the State cinema building in Grays from further damage.

As reported on Thurrock Nub News in November a gaping hole in the roof of the Grade II* listed building is allowing water to cascade into the interior.

The council has a legal obligation to enforce maintenance of the building on its owners, the Wetherspoons pub chain, but the authority appears to have been strong on words, but short on action.

Earlier in November, after Wetherspoons announced it was dropping plans to redevelop the site as a showcase pub and would be selling the venue, Thurrock council leader Cllr Mark Coxshall said the authority would 'not shirk its responsibilities'.

Following dramatic footage showing the extent of the decay of the State's roof Thurrock Nub News contacted the council ten days ago about the condition of the building and about what the council might do. We have received no response.

Now the national Cinema Theatre Association (CTA) has expressed its 'extreme concern' about the current condition of the cinema and are urging Thurrock Council to issue an Urgent Works Notice to ensure essential repair works are made on the roof.

The CTA is the national body for the study and protection of cinema buildings. Their specialist expertise is often sought by local authorities on planning applications regarding alterations or demolition of cinemas. They have influenced the economical sustainable conservation of many cinemas which form an important part of our nation's architectural and social heritage.

In recent years the CTA have offered their expertise in the redevelopment of the State cinema and they have a detailed knowledge of the building.

"We consider the physical condition of the cinema has deteriorated significantly in the seven years Wetherspoon have owned it," says Peter Wylde, an architectural caseworker for the assoociation.

"As owners, they have a responsibility to put it in reasonable repair before it's sold. In light of that, we have asked the Council to issue an Urgent Works Notice to ensure essential repairs are made to the roof."

The association and heritage authorities consider the State cinema is of national importance. It is an extremely rare example of an unaltered 'super cinema' of the 1930s, which was never subdivided and never converted to bingo operation. It retains most of its original décor, organ and fittings, and this survival is the basis of its Grade II* listing, upgraded from Grade II in June 2000.

For many years, the cinema has been on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register, during which time the CTA have publicly asked for the maintenance of the building to be kept up.

"With winter upon us, it's vital that Thurrock Council ensure Wetherspoon immediately carry out remedial work on the roof to protect the cinema's fabric," says Mr Wylde.

"To achieve this, we strongly urge Thurrock Council, in liaison with Historic England, to issue Wetherspoon with an Urgent Works Notice. Ideally, this would see a complete replacement of the outer roof covering to an appropriate standard to enable the building to dry out in the coming months.

"We would also like to see Wetherspoon, as owners, effectively secure the cinema against unauthorised entry and vandalism.

"And, finally, we demand a liaison between Historic England, Essex Place Services and the architects KD Paine Associates to locate and record all the historic fittings removed from the cinema to facilitate the work carried out inside the cinema during 2019-20. These fittings must be safeguarded in proper storage facilities."

The CTA believe that if these requests are acted upon, the State cinema can be saved.

"We welcome the statement by council Leader, Cllr Mark Coxshall, that the Council intends to fully safeguard the cinema," adds Mr Wylde.

"We, the CTA, are more than happy to meet with the Council to discuss our demands and the wider future of the State cinema. Let's get together to return the State cinema to being one of the major economic landmarks in the town that it always was." 

It is not the first time the CTA have spoken up in a bid to bring pressure to bear. In November 2020 they made a similar call for the authorities to be watchful about what was happening at the cinema.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE STATE CINEMA

The State cinema opened on 5 September 1938 with a capacity of 2,200.

It was designed by Francis Chancellor for Fredericks Electric Theatre Company at a cost of £100,000, a very large sum at the time. In 1985 it was Grade II Listed (extended to Grade II* in 2000).

It was closed as a cinema in 1989 after featuring in the 1988 Hollywood film 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'.

JD Wetherspoon acquired the site in 2015 for £1.4 million.

On 16 August 2018 Thurrock Council's Planning Committee approved plans (refs: 17/01616/FUL and 17/01617/LBC) by Wetherspoons to convert the State into one of the largest pubs in the Wetherspoon chain. Those applications expired with being followed up but were later replaced with updated applications (21/00729/LB and 21/00728/FUL) which were approved.