Cinema squabble drags on (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Cinema squabble drags on

10:17am Thursday 27th October 2005 in News By Alex Lewis

SQUABBLING continues over the collapse of cinema company Curzon's bid to operate in St Albans.

Kailash Suri, managing director of the firm that has found itself frozen out of the deal for a new cinema in the city centre, wrote to the district council on Monday to complain.

He argues that the developer Henry Davidson was only chosen to build the cinema, proposed as part of a large, mainly residential building, because of the involvement of his company.

He wrote: "Our company ethos is to work within the local community utilising local resources wherever possible.

"That is why we were selected as the preferred cinema operator in the first place."

Council surveyor Andrew Wearmouth has replied that the deal was with Henry Davidson, not Curzon.

He writes: "The various requirements of the council with regard to cinema provision have been safeguarded.

"It therefore remains a matter of negotiation by the developer as to which operator is signed up."But some opposition councillors and residents feel Curzon would be preferable to rival firm Vue Entertainments.

Tory leader John Newman warned that Curzon could challenge the decision by applying for a judicial review, freezing progress on the controversial scheme for many months.

Councillor Melvyn Teare told the St Albans Observer two weeks ago that the finalised contract with Henry Davidson was imminent, but the council now says this will take another two weeks.