By PHYLLIS STEPHENA former Art Deco cinema in Portobello
could be “demolished by default” according to
a local MP.
The George Cinema, which is at the centre of
a tussle between developers and local residents,
could pass the point of viable renovation
claims Edinburgh East MP Tommy Sheppard.
Mr Sheppard said: “Local people are
understandably concerned about the George
falling into dilapidation and ending up being
demolished by default.
“This is a listed building in a conservation
area. Planning enforcement officers need a
clear steer from councillors here to act as the
custodian. Why Labour and the Tories
weakened a motion which would have given
them this is quite frankly beyond me.
“I’ll be keeping up the pressure alongside
local SNP councillor Kate Campbell – the
George could have an amazing future if it can
b e s a v e d .”
The cinema designed in the 1930s by
architect Thomas Bowhill Gibson who also
designed the Dominion in Morningside.
Cllr Campbell had raised the matter asking
for action on the building which has been
empty for almost a decade. She said after the
meeting: “I’m glad we got a motion passed
highlighting the desperate need for
enforcement action to save this precious
building which means so much to the
community.
“But I am really sad that Labour and the
Tories voted together to water down the
wording, ultimately leaving the decision on
enforcement completely up in the air. Local
people are really worried that the building is at
risk, and getting the council to take action is
urgent.”
Buckley Building UK Ltd lodged an appealin January this year asking for the C-listed
property to be delisted. But the Planning and
Environment Appeals Division refused this
saying that the owners had no legal right to ask
Historic Environment Scotland to do so.
Friends of the George (FoTG), the group
hoping to save the cinema and bring it back
into use, said they were disappointed that the
amendment does not appear to set out a
specific timeframe, which is frustrating given
the time that this building has already been left
to deteriorate.
However, they welcomed the commitment
that officers would continue to press for action
to preserve the building.
Mikey Davidson of FoTG said: “We have a
positive plan to bring this building back to life
but the dilapidation of the building has every
appearance, as local people have repeatedlypointed out, of demolition - by neglect - in
plain sight. Let’s not forget, the building was in
daily use, right up until the point the current
owners bought it.
“We have been assured that there will be
‘speedy updates’ to the Planning Committee
via business bulletins from Officers and that
councillors share our aim that there should be
genuine and substantive action taken to save
this building. We expect to meet with our local
councillors very soon, to discuss how best to
achieve this and to ensure that the owner now
fulfils their legal responsibility to halt the
building’s continuing deterioration.”
But not everyone agrees it should be saved.
One local said: “It has been an eyesore for the
last five years and more due to a vanity project
by a bunch of folk who have no realistic way of
funding their fantasy.”6
Pronto pizza takes
slice of the action
in Portobello
Investigation after badge row at Holyrood
By STEPHEN RAFFERTYEDINBURGH’S NEWEST PIZZERIA- offering the chance to sample pizza that
aims to be the most authentic possible
outside of Italy - has opened in Portobello’s
Brighton Place.
Michael Notarangelo has combined
detailed research to find the best
ingredients from across Italy, exhaustive
trials to perfect the dough and evoked
childhood memories of his Italian heritage
to launch Pronto Pizza.
He said that while there are plenty of pizza
places in Edinburgh, his goal - stemming
from a love of pizza that started on
holidays to his family home in Italy - has
been to make Pronto as near an authentic
as you’d find in Naples.
Michael said: “I grew up eating great pizza
during trips to my grandparent’s home in
Italy and my aim is to emulate that
nostalgic taste in all the pizzas we do.
”The key to getting that authentic flavour
is all down the ingredients. Every core
component has been carefully sourced
using specialist Italian importers who find
the very best ingredients from all regions
of Italy where there are lots of variations of
pizza but the Neapolitan style was always a
favourite of mine and that’s what we will
specialise in.”
@theprontopizza
NEWS
By MARY WRIGHTHOLYROOD’S TOP OFFICIAL has
been called on to investigate after a
woman complained she was told
could not wear a “Scottish Lesbian”
badge while visiting The Scottish
Parliament.
Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian,
wrote to Presiding Officer, Alison
Johnstone, saying a constituent was
“discriminated against whilst
attending the Scottish Parliament”.
He insists it was a “straightforward
matter of discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation”.
Mr Balfour said Jenny Willmott,
co-founder of the campaign group
Scottish Lesbians, was asked to
remove a badge with the wording“Scottish Lesbians” as it was a
“partisan message”.
He said: “It has been raised that
there are many staff and elected
representatives who wear rainbow
lanyards, ironically, this is supposed
to include lesbians. It does seem
unacceptable that a lesbian making
her sexual orientation public was
considered an unacceptable
political statement.”
Ms Willmott was visiting Holyrood
for a Women’s Right Network round
table event hosted by Tess White,
MSP, when she was told by security
staff that she couldn’t wear her
badge because it was “too political”.
She has submitted a formal
complaint.
Ms Willmott said: “After being toldI couldn’t wear the badge, when I
then got into the foyer, the staff
member who checked me in was
wearing a rainbow lanyard, as were
several other staff members.
“Not only was it hypocritical for
me to be asked to remove my badge
when staff members were openly
wearing rainbow colours, we have
been advised that it constitutes
discrimination on the grounds that I
was prevented from expressing my
sexual orientation and showing
support for other lesbians.”
Ms Willmot said she had received
advice and backing from Joanna
Cherry, KC, MP for Edinburgh South
West.
She added: “Joanna Cherry said I
should complain on the grounds ofbeing prevented
from expressing my
sexuality and my
support for other
lesbians, while employees
of the Scottish Parliament are
allowed to express support for
protected characteristics (under the
Equality Act).”
A spokesman for The Scottish
Parliament said: “We can confirm
that a visitor was asked to remove a
badge and we are currently
investigating this.” He added that
“the Parliament endeavours to
investigate all complaints within 20
working days”.
The Scottish Parliamentary
Corporate Body has also recently
banned staff from wearing rainbowlanyards, pins or
badges showing
support for social
movements or
campaigns.
Maggie Chapman MSP,
said she feared the ban goes against
years of anti-discrimination work.
She said: “This is a disappointing
decision that sends the wrong
message to parliament staff and
visitors, and particularly to members
of the LGBTQIA+ community and
other marginalised groups. Nobody
stops being the person they are
when they go to work, and wearing
different coloured lanyards, such as
rainbows, can be a simple gesture of
self expression and of an inclusive
workplace.”Save the George Cinema
Concerns about uncertain future of controversial Art Deco building