Saved?

Or development merely postponed? Yesterday's council planning committee meeting discussed the linked planning applications for the partial demolition of the listed former cinema (and most recently bingo hall) on Bath Street and subsequent re-development to create twenty flats. Watched a bit of the meeting streamed live as councillors expressed concern that the necessary criteria to allow for the demolition to go ahead - that the building was unable to be repaired - hadn't been adequately proved to their satisfaction. This despite the recommendation from the council's officials. A strong alternative case was put forward by the Friends of The George group which appeared to be enough to persuade the councillors to reject the Listed Building Consent application. I'm not entirely sure how definitive the decision is but the hope remains that the cinema can be returned to former glories as a community resource. How cool that would be, to have a cinema just up the road!