The cinema in the merrion centre, help!

Danspoon · Post by **Danspoon** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 12:25 pm

Hello all,I'm a music photographer in Leeds, a solo artist I'm shooting soon really wants to use the Cinema inside the merrion centre, I've seen some shots on Flickr and it looks awesome. Do any of you guys know where I might be able to find a contact?Any help would be greatly appreciated.Danny.

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 1:57 pm

It's the same people who own the Merrion Centre Danny. I think they're still called Town Centre Securities. Munki might be able to confirm that they feel the cinema has recieved a little too much publicity and there will be no more visits for a while.Anyhow, your credentials deserve to get you in for a session, I hope so. If your artist would consider somewhere outside Leeds then give us a shout on flickr.Good luck!

AliceCake · Post by **AliceCake** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 2:02 pm

Hi Danny - It's me, Alice! I heard they'd already started ripping out the old cinema, mate! Hope the feet have dried out from Glasto!All the very best - Alice x

Danspoon · Post by **Danspoon** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 3:07 pm

Now then, Cheers Rik, is this other place out of town an old cinema?Hey Alice, do you have inside contacts?

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 6:55 pm

Hi Dan.. The Merrion center Odeon is a very sore point for me as i managed to get hold of the contact details for the Leeds Town Center Securities boss & sent him a very polite & lengthy e-mail regarding how the Odeon was a perfect example of a fully intact piece of retro 1970's decor.. totally unique in this country to lose it would be a terrible shame if it wasn't captured for posteriety. I know they had a lot of interest shown in the place after the Yorkshire evening post ran a story & they were now rather camera shy & didn't want anymore publicity, So i sent a link to my pics & told him how Rik & myself had a genuine interest in capturing these places & how we put a lot of hard work & effort into what we do. I stated that we were not journalists only interested in selling a few extra newspapers. I give him my word that not one picture or word would be mentioned of us been inside would be published untill after the place had been ripped out so to save them any further hassle. Suprisingly i got a very quick polite reply thanking me for the interest & he stated he fully understood why we would like to capture it & he would get his lady boss to give the thumbs up if she was feeling in a good mood! I didn't build my hopes up good job as the reply on Monday morning was 'sorry the Y.E.P have already been in so ask them for the pics! I wasn't giving up that easily so i contacted the Leeds Heritage Department (civic trust) quoting the same reasons as to why it should be captured for posteriety & if they could it should deffinately be included in the Leeds heritage open day tour in September if possible. The Heritage department are funded exactly for this reason & do you know what? They didn't even have THE COURTESY to reply. So i hope somebody from that department reads this thread as my post is solely designed to shame them & state that they are NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE as i believe this statement is now fashionable! The Odeon cinema in Bradford is awaiting the same fate much against Bradfordians wishes!

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Thu 19 Jul, 2007 12:29 am

Yes, an old cinema danny, and not too far away. I'll get in touch on flickr.

Scandy Bramley · Post by **Scandy Bramley** » Thu 19 Jul, 2007 1:06 am

PhillD - that is absolutely shocking! I have contacts at R.Leeds and Arry has contacts with YEP. So if you think they could be of use, please let me know.If yet ANOTHER piece of Leeds history is being threatened by oblivion, owt I can do to help - I will!

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Thu 19 Jul, 2007 6:47 am

Scandy Bramley wrote: PhillD - that is absolutely shocking! I have contacts at R.Leeds and Arry has contacts with YEP. So if you think they could be of use, please let me know.If yet ANOTHER piece of Leeds history is being threatened by oblivion, owt I can do to help - I will! Thanks for that Scandy. ll get my thinking head on. Anyone else has any ideas???

munki · Post by **munki** » Thu 19 Jul, 2007 4:04 pm

Hello everyone!I feel like this is becoming a slightly awkward situation. Merrion Centre Securities gave us access to the Cinema when they still could, as part of Secret Leeds... but that was a long long time ago now in terms of the history of our site.Since then, their management team have asked that we give no more publicity to the cinema...There is no secret about the fact that they have already started work on redeveloping it. If you want confirmation of this, just go & look through the window!

munki · Post by **munki** » Thu 19 Jul, 2007 4:06 pm

Phil,Was it Leeds Civic Trust that you contacted about including the cinema in the Heritage Open Day Tours?