News / KNowle West
Demolition of historic cinema to continue despite campaign
The demolition of a historic building in south Bristol is to continue despite a ferocious campaign to save it.
Bristol City Council has appointed a new contractor to complete the destruction of the former Broadway Cinema on Filwood Broadway in Knowle West.
The council has also now submitted plans to build a housing-led development in place of the old picture house, which has been empty since the 1990s.
is needed now More than ever
But a local campaigner says he will continue his fight to stop the demolition of the 84-year-old building.
Nick Haskins, who was born and bred in Knowle West, is fighting to save the former Broadway Cinema – photo: Nick Haskins
“I’ve got an affiliation with the building because it was built by my grandad and obviously I’d like to keep it,” said Nick Haskins.
“But more than that, it could be used by youngsters. The kids have got nothing to do, and somebody needs to wake up and smell the roses.”
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Nick, who has a vision to restore the Broadway Cinema to its former glory, says he has the backing of more than 1,000 people on social media.
He had a meeting with mayor Marvin Rees about his campaign in June, but says he has not heard anything since.
“Bristol City Council and Marvin Rees should hang their heads in shame,” added Nick, who is also campaigning for a supermarket to open in Knowle West.
The 1,160-seat cinema, which also hosted boxing matches and concerts, was latterly a bingo hall – photo: Charlie Watts
The Broadway Cinema opened in 1938 and was converted into a bingo hall in 1971 before closing in the 1990s.
The council-owned site was earmarked for a new supermarket in 2012, but this never came to fruition.
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Work started to demolish the old cinema – which is connected to a row of shops and flats – in 2021, after plans to do so were approved in 2019.
But party wall issues led to the previous contractor pulling out, delaying the demolition.
Now though, following a re-tendering process, the council has appointed Wring Group to complete the job.
The council’s plans for the site include two four-storey apartment blocks with commercial space on the ground floor – photo: Bristol City Council
The council has submitted plans to build 30 “affordable” homes on the old cinema site and land surrounding it.
The development will include 13 houses and 17 flats in two four-storey buildings with commercial space on the ground floor.
It will be accessed via a new road off Filwood Broadway, but objectors say this will lead to a loss of frontage on the high street, which could also be getting a £12m boost.
The plans also include a new crescent comprised of 13 houses – photo: Bristol City Council
The Filwood Broadway Working Group (FBWG) was unable to meet to discuss the planning application for the site, with it being submitted during their summer break.
Tom Renhard, the council’s cabinet member for housing, has previously said he will meet with the FBWG to go through their concerns, but this is yet to happen.
The old cinema is also just one of a number of sites in Knowle West facing development, with plans also submitted to build 29 homes on the former Filwood Swimming Pool site.
Bristol City Council has been contacted for comment.
Charlie Watts is reporting on Knowle West as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media
Main photo: Charlie Watts
Read next:
- Housing set to replace historic former cinema
- Outrage at proposals to relocate decades-old library
- Plans to relocate threatened youth facility revealed
- Crisis support charity pauses operations
- New cinema could become only one in south Bristol
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