The Electric Cinema first opened in 1909 showing its first silent film just a few days after Christmas. It’s had its up-and-down over the years – becoming an amusement arcade, screening adult films and closing down during the pandemic. But after 115 years, this looks like the end for the UK’s oldest working cinema.
The news comes as Flatpack Festival says this will be the first time in 18 years without the Electric as a venue. The building’s current 88-year lease will come to an end at the end of March, with the Markwick family, who run the cinema, having decided to close down this week. Sad news for this historically, yet vitally important and beloved cinema.
“We understand that a property developer intends to apply for planning permission to demolish most of Station Street – except for the Grade II listed Old Rep Theatre – to make way for a fifty-storey apartment block,” said Ian Francis, founding director of Flatpack Projects. “This would be a deeply damaging move for Birmingham.”
The Electric, with its art-deco feel, is one of only a handful of independent cinemas in the city – alongside places like the Mockingbird and Midlands Arts Centre. But it is by far the most legendary in Birmingham. Regularly popping up in travel guides and ‘Things To Do In Birmingham’ lists, it has screened the entire history of cinema inside.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Thank you to everyone who has messaged us about The Electric Cinema. Clearly, any potential loss of such an iconic heritage building is deeply concerning. We have asked WMCA to urgently investigate the facts and any possible interventions.
“We know this feeds into wider concerns about the future of Station Street, which is why we have already written to the Government to ask for The Crown pub to become a listed building. Clearly, if we’re successful in that application then that has implications for any proposed development. But Station Street is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to people’s grave concerns about the future of our arts and cultural scene.
“Culture is essential to the lifeblood of the West Midlands. That is why the news that Birmingham City Council will be cutting 100% of their grants to cultural organisations is so concerning. But rest assured, we have no intention of standing by and seeing the regions cultural sector decline. We hope to share more concrete news on our actions soon. And we fully intend to put money where our mouths are.”
So is this really the end for The Electric? We’re not sure. The website now reads as: “The Electric is now closed”, but something tells us we’ve not heard the end of this story.