Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee is set to consider the addition of the Electric Cinema, currently closed, to the city’s local heritage list. This move is part of a broader review involving five cultural heritage sites, scheduled for discussion at a committee meeting on Thursday, 13 August.
The Electric Cinema, located on Station Street and shuttered since February 2024, may join over 440 other locally listed sites, including the nearby Crown pub, which is also currently closed. The council’s local listing recognises sites of local significance, marking them as “material considerations” in planning decisions. However, it is important to note that local listing does not confer statutory protection.
According to the council, local listing serves to identify assets that positively contribute to Birmingham’s historic environment. Since the cinema’s closure, a campaign has sought to safeguard the building for future use. Concerns about its preservation have grown, with firefighters recently attending to prevent the iconic cinema sign from collapsing, and images revealing internal deterioration prompting fears about its condition.
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For a site to be locally listed, it must meet one or more criteria such as historic, architectural, archaeological, evidential, communal, group, townscape value, or rarity. Until its closure, the Electric Cinema held the distinction of being the oldest working cinema in the country. Campaigners had lobbied for its inclusion on the National Heritage List for England, but this was declined by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Nearby, the Crown pub holds national listing status due to its music heritage-it was the first venue where Black Sabbath performed together and supported numerous other significant Birmingham artists. Yet, it remains closed alongside the Electric Cinema.
Other sites under consideration for local listing include Cherry Reds Cafe Bar on John Bright Street, The Gazette Buildings on Corporation Street, the medieval moat and Yardley Ridge and Furrow Earthworks at Old Yardley Park, and the Old Windmill pub on Dudley Road.
Councillor Deborah Harries, cabinet member for culture, commented: “It’s great to see such a variety of sites being recommended for Birmingham’s Local Heritage List, reflecting the city’s rich architectural, cultural, social and industrial history. I’m especially pleased to see The Electric Cinema included, as until its closure in 2024, it was the oldest working cinema in the UK and played a vital role in our city’s cultural heritage. This highlights the council’s commitment to recognising the significance of our city’s heritage, valued by residents and communities alike.”
The Electric Cinema was originally built in 1885 as the Birmingham Pantechnicon, designed by William Wykes as a furniture warehouse. It became a cinema in 1909, with Bertie Crewe, a notable theatre architect, designing Birmingham’s first permanent cinema building. Over the years, the cinema underwent several name changes, including the Tatler News Theatre in 1937, the Select Picture House, and the Jacey Cinema.
The council’s report for the Planning Committee notes: “Historic England recognises the building as an important reminder of Station Street’s history, Birmingham’s cinema heritage, and the city’s development. Its significance is principally at the local level. Beyond architectural and historic interest, the building has considerable communal and cultural importance through its long-standing role as a social and entertainment venue for generations of residents.”
“For over a century, the cinema contributed to the city’s cultural life and remains part of the shared memory of communities who frequented it. Its continued use until 2024 created a rare continuity, reinforcing its status as a living part of Birmingham’s entertainment heritage. The strong public response to its closure highlights the building’s value and significance as a cultural landmark.”
The report concludes that the building possesses strong communal, evidential, historic, and townscape value, alongside significant intangible heritage, derived from memories, traditions, and cultural ties spanning over a century. The Electric Cinema is a rare survivor of Birmingham’s early cinema history and a key component of Station Street’s historic character.