CITY MP Christine Russell is calling for a campaign to save Chester's historic cinema which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary. The Odeon, which is a grade II listed art deco building, was opened in 1936 but has now been bought by leisure company Brook Group, which runs nightclubs, hotels and shops. Ms Russell, a former chairman of the Chester Film Society, is keen the only city centre cinema does not disappear especially because it provides young people with an alternative to the binge drinking culture. She said: 'The reason I feel strongly about it is the city council, to give them their due, has been developing a cultural strategy and sees the need for a broad mix of cultural activities in the city. I just think it is a shame one of the key parts of that strategy could be shattered.' Ms Russell said research showed that 70% of people who go to the cinema are under 35 years of age and last year cinemas were crammed with Harry Potter and Wallace and Gromit fans. 'It's an affordable leisure activity and it's a safe place to send the kids in the school holidays or at weekends while mum and dad put some money into the local economy and go off and do some shopping,' said Ms Russell. She also highlighted the popular Silverscreen club for pensioners who visited the cinema during the day. As former chairman of the city's planning board, Ms Russell knows a nightclub would need change of use planning permission and she hopes it would be contrary to local plans, especially given its location within a cultural quarter of the city which incorporates Rufus Court, the library, Town Hall Square and the cathedral. 'We have been really successful attracting people back into the heart of the city but we need to keep leisure activities in town so people don't have to go out of town,' added the MP, who says the National Film Council did a study which demonstrated the value of cinema to the local economy because people often visited neighbouring restaurants, bars and cafes. Ms Russell said the threat also highlighted the need for better bus links to the Greyhound Retail Park where Chester's only alternative cinema is located. Andy Farrall, city council strategic director, pointed out the building was designated for cinema use in the Chester and District Local Plan. 'To change the cinema to non-cinema use would require planning consent and we have planning policies that protect that sort of facility,' he said. 'It is a listed building and a very important building to the city although I have not seen any designs for any proposal to subdivide the building.' | 
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