Help Save the Granada

Antics Plans

PLEASE HELP NOW TO SAVE THE CINEMA Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.     Please help now with 3 quick things to save the cinema Right now, the buyer of our cinema, pub chain Antic London, is drawing up plans for the building. But we’re worried their plans boil down to mostly a pub with a side order of “quirky entertainment” (their words). That’s not what so many of us in Walthamstow fought so long and hard for. Soho Theatre’s plans with Waltham Forest Cinema Trust are for a building that provides a wide range of uses for the widest appeal. We urgently need your help to make sure Antic works with Soho Theatre and doesn’t ‘go it alone’ with plans that don’t do justice to a building that could draw people to Walthamstow from far and wide. We also need your help to make sure that the council understands, now the Empire cinema has opened next door, how much we still want the Granada for film and live entertainment. So… 1. On Twitter? Please tweet this! The Xmas present we all want? @sohotheatre at the #Walthamstow Granada! @antic_London @lbwfdemocracyhttp://youtu.be/x3GT1i46fYo Please RT 2. On Facebook? Please post this! Please post to Antic’s Facebook wall https://www.facebook.com/antic.London or say something similar in your own words… Getting the EMD/Granada cinema on Hoe Street back into true entertainment use is the best Christmas present you could give Walthamstow. And that means more than opening an Antic pub. It means working with the Soho Theatre toohttp://www.sohotheatre.com/walthamstow/ As anyone who has followed the campaign to save the Granada knows, Walthamstow cares not just about the Grade II* listed building, but about seeing it brought back as a leading entertainment venue. That’s why the council and Soho Theatre’s vision for the space was so widely supported. And why anything less will be opposed. Antic and Soho working together is the perfect answer – so get talking! 3. And finally… please send two quick emails! We’ve drafted emails to Antic and the council leader - just click on the links below to send them as they are. But your email will be even more effective if you add your own experience and personal feelings. Please be polite though – we want these guys to love Walthamstow! And please remember to stick your name and address at the bottom, we’re doing this to show the strength of local support for Soho Theatre’s plans. Click here to email Antic head honcho Anthony Thomas then add your name, address and anything else you want to say in your own words. And click here to email council leader Chris Robbins again please add your name, address  and your own comments. If your browser doesn't like those links, just copy and paste the suggested emails below: TO: anthony@anticlondon.com SUBJECT: Dear Santa, I want… Antic working w Soho Theatre Dear Anthony, A quick message to let you know that getting the EMD/Granada cinema back into true entertainment use is top of my Christmas wish list - as it is for most of us in Walthamstow. What Walthamstow really wants for Christmas is the Soho Theatre's plan to go ahead. So it's great news that you are in the perfect position to work with them to turn their vision http://www.sohotheatre.com/walthamstow/ into a brilliant reality. As you'll no doubt realise, knowing the history behind the campaign to save the cinema, Walthamstow is massively passionate about not just the historic building itself, but about seeing it brought back to use as a leading entertainment venue. That's why the council and Soho Theatre's vision for the space was so widely supported. And why anything less than such a serious and brilliant plan will be opposed. Without Soho Theatre, the building will not maximise its potential. But with Antic and Soho working together, it's the perfect answer for everyone. After all, it's pretty clear the comedy, theatre and arthouse cinema crowds that have proven they can draw in will be perfect customers for your new establishment! Looking forward to seeing you in there for a beer – the first one is on me! Kind regards, < PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE> ______________________________________________________________ TO: cllr.chris.robbins@walthamforest.gov.uk SUBJECT: Dear Santa, I want… Antic working w Soho Theatre Dear Councillor Robbins, It's great that the Empire cinema is here… but I just want you to know that getting the EMD/Granada cinema back into true entertainment use is still top of my Christmas wish list - as it is for many Waltham Forest residents. That's why I passionately support Soho Theatre's vision http://www.sohotheatre.com/walthamstow/ and I hope you still support it too. As you no doubt realise, Walthamstow is passionate about not just the historic building itself, but about seeing it back in use as a leading entertainment venue. That's why the council and Soho Theatre's vision for the space was so widely supported. And why anything less than such a serious and brilliant plan will be opposed. Without Soho Theatre, the building cannot maximise its potential. And the signs are that Antic currently thinks it can get away with cobbling together any old entertainment offering. Antic and Soho working together is the perfect answer for everyone. The comedy, theatre and arthouse cinema crowds Soho Theatre has proven it can draw in will be perfect Antic customers. And the entire scheme would complement the Scene at Cleveland Place – broadening the fledgling town centre evening economy. A revitalised Granada could be the jewel in the crown for Walthamstow. But without Soho Theatre, it will just be another shabby chic pub – that won't help kickstart serious regeneration in the area and will probably simply steal punters from The Bell, Chequers and Rose & Crown. So, please, remember that the campaign to save the Granada has always been about more than just the listed building – it's about bringing it back to use as a fully-fledged entertainment venue. Please, do everything you can to get Antic and Soho Theatre talking to each other meaningfully – and give us the Christmas present Walthamstow really wants. If you do, I'll buy you a pint at the opening night! Merry Xmas, <PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE> Many thanks SAVE WALTHAMSTOW CINEMA