A BODY which campaigns to conserve historic cinemas and theatres has written to the council to oppose plans to turn the EMD cinema into a church.

Evangelical group The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) has submitted plans to convert the Art Deco building, in Hoe Street, into a church, community hall, cafe, shops and five flats.

Although UCKG insists the development will benefit the area as a whole, some residents and groups, including the Cinema Theatre Association (CTA) and McGuffin Film Society, fear the facility will only cater for a small section of the community.

The CTA has now submitted an objection to the application, which is expected to come before a planning committee soon.

CTA caseworker Eva Branscome said "We are highly concerned should this application be allowed that the building will be lost for the use of the community at large.

“A future use as a place of worship would be neither regenerative nor conducive to a thriving entertainment and recreational district that any community would aspire to".

The CTA has also accused UCKG of cancelling appointments to inspect the building “without explanation”, although the Guardian understands that these were likely to have been cancelled for health and safety reasons.

Ms Branscombe also said the CTA is concerned because it believes access to another cinema converted to a UCKG church, the Astoria in Finsbury Park, is “discouraged by doormen and security staff who can be intimidating to the general public.”

The CTA urged the council to incorporate a revived EMD cinema into the plans for the adjoining Arcade site, on the corner of Hoe Street and High Street.

But Cllr Terry Wheeler, cabinet member for enterprise, this summer ruled out a move to purchase the site and it is believed the council would find it difficult to win any subsequent appeal against a compulsory purchase order.

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