Cut! UKIP wants to scrap cinema project

Photo: Darren Robinson

UKIP by election candidate John Bickley outside Town Hall development in Oldham.

UKIP by-election candidate John Bickley believes the ongoing £36.7million project to transform Oldham’s old town hall into an 800-seater cinema should be scrapped if it’s not too late.

Mr Bickley, speaking exclusively to the Evening Chronicle yesterday, said that if he becomes MP for Oldham West and Royton he will look at the costs of getting the borough out of the project which he believes is the wrong use for the historic building.

On completion the project — which will directly cost Oldham Council more than £26million — will see the old town hall transformed into a state-of-the-art Odeon cinema with seven cafes and restaurants.

Approximately 233 jobs will be created by the project which will bring in an estimated £55million over a 10-year period once open next summer.

The cinema project is perhaps Oldham Council leader and Labour by-election candidate Jim McMahon’s biggest regeneration project but his Oldham West and Royton rival Mr Bickley says jobs created would be low paid and the cinema industry is in decline.

The UKIP candidate added that he believes a better use for the town hall would be a “tech hub” — a community for start-up technology business.

Councillor McMahon has brushed Mr Bickley’s comments off and says the people of the town are behind the project.

Mr Bickley said: “Why is the Labour council here getting involved in the film business?

“It seems to me that they have decided that they know something about the film business that the film industry doesn’t know.

“Cinema attendances have declined over the last three years. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that the way things are going.

“What is Oldham Council doing investing well over £30million in a multiplex?

“If there is a demand for a multiplex in Oldham I’m sure the cinema companies would have addressed it.

“One can’t help but feel that this is a massive vanity project.

“It seems to me that what this town needs is high-value jobs.

“The jobs created by a multiplex will be low paid jobs and jobs that require tax payer’s money in the form of tax credits.

“I will look at what the costs will be to get out of that project. Can we turn this into a tech hub where we can bring in high-value companies and high-value jobs?

“Trying to put the lorry into reverse could be incredibly expensive.

“I don’t know how far down the path this has gone for it to be turned around but I would want to reverse the plans.

“Going back to the glory days of the Lancaster bomber and the Vulcan being built at Avro’s, this was once a high-tech town.

“This was at the leading edge of the old industries so why can’t it be again?

“The future is in technology, not cinemas.”

Councillor McMahon said: “I am proud of what I have done as council leader to bring jobs to Oldham and drive forward the regeneration of our town.

“We are already working with businesses to build a tech hub in Oldham, we’ve brought employers like Mono Pumps to the town and delivered new business in the Independent Quarter.

“People in Oldham support the old town hall project as it will create over 200 new jobs as well as providing a cinema and restaurants for people to enjoy.

“The successful regeneration of Oldham is something I’ve fought for, and if elected as your MP, will continue to do so.”