Ian Caldow’s letter (Guardian, May 28) presents an incomplete picture of our marketing and stewardship of the former Granada Cinema in Hoe Street.

Firstly we have not refused to sell because we considered that any would-be buyer could not afford to renovate the building.

Our marketing campaigns in 2005 and 2006 were conducted with all diligence, and in each case the best offers were received from prospective purchasers interested in alternative uses of the site – i.e. something other than a cinema.

Several cinema operators wanted to lease the building, provided it had been fully repaired and refurbished. This is not a viable option for us – we are a church and Christian HelpCentre – and would not be a viable option for a property investor or developer given the likely return on investment. The only identifiable cinema operator seriously wanting to buy the freehold made an unrealistically low offer, and also underestimated the cost of refurbishment, having not proceeded to a full surveyor’s report.

The only reason we haven’t already spent considerable sums on the exterior of the building is the lack of planning consent.

We will be delighted to make the most of the exterior as well as the interior of the building as soon as we are allowed to. In the meantime we have invested over £80,000 ensuring that the building is weather-tight and preventing further deterioration.

The UCKG HelpCentre’s earlier planning application was refused as the inspector thought that a faith-based organisation would not support the regeneration of Walthamstow town centre. This time our proposals are significantly different in that they include a café and the Granada Rooms as an affordable quality venue for community use.

Paul Hill,

United Church of the Kingdom of God property manager.