Along with local media, local MP Julian Huppert put in an appearance and pledged to support the campaign to keep this cinema open, which has included a 15,000 strong online petition.

This situtation has arisen due to some rather odd meddling by beaurocrats unknown at the Competiton Commission whom have intervened due the Picturehouse chain being owned by another chain, Cineworld.

To cut a long (and convoluted) story very short, this could ultimately end up with the Cambridge Picturehouse being forcibly sold off. One minor hitch with this though, as at present there are no buyers, so unless somebody steps in this could mean the Arts Picturehouse may be forced to close.

The Picturehouse is a unique community resource in Cambridge, because unlike the other rather more corporate (and frankly boring) muliplexes in Cambridge, the Picturehouse has become a bastion of alternative, non-Hollywood cinema, not only showing so-called art house and foreign language movies, but it is also home to the Cambridge Film Festival, and on occasion has even hosted evenings where local independent film makers can get their own projects seen by the public.

The Multiplexes needless to say don't do this.

In short, if the Picturehouse closes the only cinematic offerings we will have under a permanent roof will be the usual Hollywood blockbusters that you can probably watch on TV in a year or so anyway (or download sooner if you're more impatient).

So yes, once again out of touch beaurocrats stick their oar in without considering the long term consequences of what their decisions will do to a community.

Cheers guys.


Other sources:

 http://www.cinemasitter.co.uk/2013/08/in-the-name-of-sanity-save-the-cambridge-arts-picturehouse/

 http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Film-fans-criticise-potential-sale-of-Cambridge-Arts-Picturehouse-after-Cineworld-ruling-20130821060035.htm

 https://movieevangelist.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/the-cineworld-picturehouse-competition-commision-decision-my-interim-findings/https://movieevangelist.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/the-cineworld-picturehouse-competition-commision-decision-my-interim-findings/


*P.S.
I apologise for not filing this report sooner, but this is what happens when you get sanctioned by the Joke Centre.