Bid for listed status of UK's oldest cinema fails

Campaigners fighting to get listed status for the UK's oldest working cinema have had their bid rejected.

The Electric in Birmingham, which first opened in 1909, was suddenly closed last year for the foreseeable future.

Campaigner Darren John said the bid's failure was devastating and there is a fear it will now set a "very dangerous precedent that says it is open season for developers to prey on UK cultural heritage sites".

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it had considered "all the evidence presented", before it had made the decision not to confer listed status on the city centre building, in Station Street.

The campaign had been backed by more than 24,000 people who threw their support to save the building.

But in a statement, the DCMS said: "After considering all the evidence presented, it was decided that the Electric Cinema venue in Birmingham did not meet the criteria for listing."

Mr John said the news was silencing the story of city's history.

"The Electric tells the story of 20th Century Birmingham working-class creativity and it is vital to Brummies," he said.

However, while the news was a knockback, he said he will continue to advocate for the preservation of the building.

"We implore Birmingham politicians to list the building locally," he added.

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