WALTHAMSTOW: Cinema campaigners pleased by council gaffe (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Hopefully this is another nail in the coffin of ineptitude displayed by 'Loakes and his Jokes'. The sooner this local (mal)adminstration is ousted the better!

Why does Mr Hodson gloat every time something goes wrong with the Arcade Site?

The EMD will never be a cinema as we knew it for as long as he has he has a hole in his ear. I am reliably informed that he is not even from London, let alone Walthamstow. Can he not find something to campaign for in his home town wherever that is? People are sick with seeing the EMD empty and the Church should just be allowed to bring it into use. Do the Macguffins not realise that there is a massive recession and that no cinema company would touch it with a barge pole now?

Anything which helps put the brakes on the council's crazy plans for the EMD is very welcome news indeed.

Huw Myles wrote:
Why does Mr Hodson gloat every time something goes wrong with the Arcade Site?

The EMD will never be a cinema as we knew it for as long as he has he has a hole in his ear. I am reliably informed that he is not even from London, let alone Walthamstow. Can he not find something to campaign for in his home town wherever that is? People are sick with seeing the EMD empty and the Church should just be allowed to bring it into use. Do the Macguffins not realise that there is a massive recession and that no cinema company would touch it with a barge pole now?

Claridger...I mean Huw, why is it that you never have a good thing to say about the McGuffins? I think that people are sick of seeing the EMD empty but it's clear that there are quite a few people who would like to see it restored for the benefit of all, rather than just members of a certain religious sect. I don't see how this is any less viable than throwing 30 million at an empty patch of land next door.

Huw Myles, Leyton says...
11:52am Mon 27 Apr 09
Why does Mr Hodson gloat every time something goes wrong with the Arcade Site?

The EMD will never be a cinema as we knew it for as long as he has he has a hole in his ear. I am reliably informed that he is not even from London, let alone Walthamstow. Can he not find something to campaign for in his home town wherever that is? People are sick with seeing the EMD empty and the Church should just be allowed to bring it into use. Do the Macguffins not realise that there is a massive recession and that no cinema company would touch it with a barge pole now?

I, like Bill Hodgson and McGuffin members are local residents - that is what counts, not where people were born. The UCKG church comes from Brazil!

In this recession it's far more economical to restore the existing EMD cinema than including a multiplex in the arcade development, which by it's nature will be a very large, complicated, mixed-use building. The arcade site was never intended to include a cinema originally.

I'm sick of seeing the EMD empty too, but the very reason it has remained so is the UCKG's refusal to sell the building. This is the principal reason the council are trying to give them permission to use it as a church, despite it being previously rejected on appeal.

The council argued that the EMD should remain under cinema use and maintained it was viable in 2003. Nothing has changed since then other than the council's complete u-turn and rejection of expert opinion that the best use of the EMD is that for which it was designed - cinema.

Walthamstow noob wrote:

Huw Myles wrote:
Why does Mr Hodson gloat every time something goes wrong with the Arcade Site?

The EMD will never be a cinema as we knew it for as long as he has he has a hole in his ear. I am reliably informed that he is not even from London, let alone Walthamstow. Can he not find something to campaign for in his home town wherever that is? People are sick with seeing the EMD empty and the Church should just be allowed to bring it into use. Do the Macguffins not realise that there is a massive recession and that no cinema company would touch it with a barge pole now?

Claridger...I mean Huw, why is it that you never have a good thing to say about the McGuffins? I think that people are sick of seeing the EMD empty but it's clear that there are quite a few people who would like to see it restored for the benefit of all, rather than just members of a certain religious sect. I don't see how this is any less viable than throwing 30 million at an empty patch of land next door.

Yes but the small problem is that they do not own it and I cannot understand how half these people campaigning think that anybody is going to stump up money to buy it in this down-turned market. There is no way that the council will forcibly buy it and anyone who thinks that the cinema will be opened again as one is barking mad and in cloud cuckoo land. Why do you think that the council want the Church to make it one now? Nobody is lending any money now and the council would never be justified buying it, like they have probably been prevented from getting involved in the arcade site.

Mr Myles, does it not embarrass you that this Council lurches from one fag-packet idea to another without even checking that what they propose is legal? On what information did you base your slur that campaigners are not local people? Do you have an interest in the outcome of this deal?

mdj wrote:
Mr Myles, does it not embarrass you that this Council lurches from one fag-packet idea to another without even checking that what they propose is legal? On what information did you base your slur that campaigners are not local people? Do you have an interest in the outcome of this deal?

Read what I said please. I did not say what you are saying at all. I have an interest yes. being able to drive past when I have guests visiting and not being embarrassed by the 'ghost town' atmosphere generated by this area and along Leytonstone High Road. The EMD is a foregone conclusion now. They will probably be building several cinemas up the Olympic Site. It was wrong for it to have been sold in the first place but it has been so lets all move on and progress with the times.

If 'move on and progress with the times' is defined as letting a secretive Brazilian evangelical church that refuses to publicly debate its intentions colonise Walthamstow city centre rather than attempting to secure a future that preserves and enhances past glories for the cultural good then I'd rather live in the past and support a sale to an independent cinema chain.

Oh, and unless anyone has any credible information on the development plans of the UK's major cinema chains, I take any suggestions that 'They will probably be building several cinemas up the Olympic Site.' with a large pinch of salt.

Huw (if that is your real name), why is it that whenever there is a story involving the McGuffins, you always feel the need to snipe at them?
Just because you may have achieved nothing in your own lifetime, please do not belittle the efforts of others who are at least TRYING to achieve a benefit for the entire community.

For the record, I attended the recent demonstration outside the EMD, and I fully support the efforts of the McGuffins and others to regain this building.

Huw, you are free to disagree. You are also free to live in another borough if you feel that you would be better off.

Lucifer1 wrote:
Huw (if that is your real name), why is it that whenever there is a story involving the McGuffins, you always feel the need to snipe at them?
Just because you may have achieved nothing in your own lifetime, please do not belittle the efforts of others who are at least TRYING to achieve a benefit for the entire community.

For the record, I attended the recent demonstration outside the EMD, and I fully support the efforts of the McGuffins and others to regain this building.

Huw, you are free to disagree. You are also free to live in another borough if you feel that you would be better off.

Why are you criticising my comments and then in the same breath saying 'you are free to disagree?'. Make your mind up!

The toothless gathering of 400 McGuffins will do nothing to stop the Church development as the Council seem desperate to put this sad episode to bed after the mess that they have made of it. I have nothing against the McGuffins but the hot air they expel will never save the cinema. If they wanted to buy it they could have when it was for sale, but the Church own it now and its all history as was the glory years of the cinema, sad but true.

Huw Myles wrote:

Lucifer1 wrote:
Huw (if that is your real name), why is it that whenever there is a story involving the McGuffins, you always feel the need to snipe at them?
Just because you may have achieved nothing in your own lifetime, please do not belittle the efforts of others who are at least TRYING to achieve a benefit for the entire community.

For the record, I attended the recent demonstration outside the EMD, and I fully support the efforts of the McGuffins and others to regain this building.

Huw, you are free to disagree. You are also free to live in another borough if you feel that you would be better off.

Why are you criticising my comments and then in the same breath saying 'you are free to disagree?'. Make your mind up!

The toothless gathering of 400 McGuffins will do nothing to stop the Church development as the Council seem desperate to put this sad episode to bed after the mess that they have made of it. I have nothing against the McGuffins but the hot air they expel will never save the cinema. If they wanted to buy it they could have when it was for sale, but the Church own it now and its all history as was the glory years of the cinema, sad but true.

I take it Lucifer1 that that is your real name then?

Huw - the cinema was bought by the UCKG for £2.8M, meaning each McGuffin member having to find around £6000 to buy it, and then another £800K+ to fund restoration. However the bigger issue is that UCKG have refused to sell it in the first place, even if funds could be raised.

UCKG have just bided their time, exploiting our weak planning laws and the council's frustration at seeing the building deteriorate.

It's a lazy (non) argument to say 'move on and progress with the times'. Loads of cinemas like the EMD remain in demand by cinema-goers, even when there are alternative mulitplexes within easy reach.

The government's inspector found the UCKG's venue at Finsbury Park added nothing to the commerce of the area and the same would apply in Walthamstow. Instead of helping the evening economy and local business church goers would clog up local streets with cars - a case proven at Finsbury Park.

McGuffins and other campaigners have plenty of clout - they forced the lifting of the clause restricting the showing of English language films at the EMD and helped prevent the church using the cinema in the first place.

I just hope I don't have to say 'told you so' if the UCKG get their plans approved. You'll then see what a disaster it will be.

"I take it Lucifer1 that that is your real name then?"

That's a bit rich coming from someone who changes their screen name more often than the wind changes direction.

RichieA70 wrote:
Huw - the cinema was bought by the UCKG for £2.8M, meaning each McGuffin member having to find around £6000 to buy it, and then another £800K+ to fund restoration. However the bigger issue is that UCKG have refused to sell it in the first place, even if funds could be raised.

UCKG have just bided their time, exploiting our weak planning laws and the council's frustration at seeing the building deteriorate.

It's a lazy (non) argument to say 'move on and progress with the times'. Loads of cinemas like the EMD remain in demand by cinema-goers, even when there are alternative mulitplexes within easy reach.

The government's inspector found the UCKG's venue at Finsbury Park added nothing to the commerce of the area and the same would apply in Walthamstow. Instead of helping the evening economy and local business church goers would clog up local streets with cars - a case proven at Finsbury Park.

McGuffins and other campaigners have plenty of clout - they forced the lifting of the clause restricting the showing of English language films at the EMD and helped prevent the church using the cinema in the first place.

I just hope I don't have to say 'told you so' if the UCKG get their plans approved. You'll then see what a disaster it will be.

I hope you are right and that you do succeed but the prospects are dismal I fear. Maybe it could have been bought collectively by a larger group than 400 but people are always reluctant to put their money where their mouth is. Even if the shares were say £100.00 the return on the investment would be zero as the overheads to run the EMD would be too excessive. Then in such arrangements you have in fighting and back-stabbing like all organisations. Whenever this so called 'operator' expressed a bid if they ever did was in a different economic climate. The whole street scene in Hoe Street is in a mess (see crap Waltham Forest website) that says it all! It could only happen in this Borough, a right dogs dinner and they have even got rid of the Stow, talking of dogs. All very sad, whatever way you look at it.

Huw Myles wrote:

Lucifer1 wrote: Huw (if that is your real name), why is it that whenever there is a story involving the McGuffins, you always feel the need to snipe at them? Just because you may have achieved nothing in your own lifetime, please do not belittle the efforts of others who are at least TRYING to achieve a benefit for the entire community. For the record, I attended the recent demonstration outside the EMD, and I fully support the efforts of the McGuffins and others to regain this building. Huw, you are free to disagree. You are also free to live in another borough if you feel that you would be better off.

Why are you criticising my comments and then in the same breath saying 'you are free to disagree?'. Make your mind up! The toothless gathering of 400 McGuffins will do nothing to stop the Church development as the Council seem desperate to put this sad episode to bed after the mess that they have made of it. I have nothing against the McGuffins but the hot air they expel will never save the cinema. If they wanted to buy it they could have when it was for sale, but the Church own it now and its all history as was the glory years of the cinema, sad but true.

Huw, I really thought you might have worked out for yourself what I was trying to say. However, seeing that you are either unable or unwilling to do so I will spell it out for you. My point is that you have chosen to constantly snipe against a group of unpaid volunteers who are trying to do nothing but good for the borough. I - along with many hundreds of other WF residents - applaud their efforts. Therefore, if you wish to disagree please do so in private and stop boring the rest of us with your constant negativity.

Your comments are also often poorly researched. If you had troubled yourself to find out a few facts, you would have known that UCKG have said they would never sell the building to the McGuffins - assuming that these unpaid volunteers could find £2 Million from somewhere!


With regard to the name you have chosen to post under, there is nothing wrong with an assumed name if that is your choice. However, it seems strange that there are two others along with yourself who post about the McGuffins using the same sentiments, the same tone and the same (slightly substandard) level of English. When one stops posting, another will begin. Several contributors to this forum have remarked upon this fact, and no doubt find it as hilarious as I do. It may possibly be some form of Multiple Personality Disorder, but most likely a childish attempt to make us believe that your negative views are more widespread than they actually are. Give it up.

Lucifer1 wrote:

Huw Myles wrote:

Lucifer1 wrote: Huw (if that is your real name), why is it that whenever there is a story involving the McGuffins, you always feel the need to snipe at them? Just because you may have achieved nothing in your own lifetime, please do not belittle the efforts of others who are at least TRYING to achieve a benefit for the entire community. For the record, I attended the recent demonstration outside the EMD, and I fully support the efforts of the McGuffins and others to regain this building. Huw, you are free to disagree. You are also free to live in another borough if you feel that you would be better off.

Why are you criticising my comments and then in the same breath saying 'you are free to disagree?'. Make your mind up! The toothless gathering of 400 McGuffins will do nothing to stop the Church development as the Council seem desperate to put this sad episode to bed after the mess that they have made of it. I have nothing against the McGuffins but the hot air they expel will never save the cinema. If they wanted to buy it they could have when it was for sale, but the Church own it now and its all history as was the glory years of the cinema, sad but true.

Huw, I really thought you might have worked out for yourself what I was trying to say. However, seeing that you are either unable or unwilling to do so I will spell it out for you. My point is that you have chosen to constantly snipe against a group of unpaid volunteers who are trying to do nothing but good for the borough. I - along with many hundreds of other WF residents - applaud their efforts. Therefore, if you wish to disagree please do so in private and stop boring the rest of us with your constant negativity.

Your comments are also often poorly researched. If you had troubled yourself to find out a few facts, you would have known that UCKG have said they would never sell the building to the McGuffins - assuming that these unpaid volunteers could find £2 Million from somewhere!


With regard to the name you have chosen to post under, there is nothing wrong with an assumed name if that is your choice. However, it seems strange that there are two others along with yourself who post about the McGuffins using the same sentiments, the same tone and the same (slightly substandard) level of English. When one stops posting, another will begin. Several contributors to this forum have remarked upon this fact, and no doubt find it as hilarious as I do. It may possibly be some form of Multiple Personality Disorder, but most likely a childish attempt to make us believe that your negative views are more widespread than they actually are. Give it up.

Just because you do not like what I say, please do not snipe at me. Unlike you, I do use my real name and am a long term resident in the Borough and not part of a rent a crowd.

Have you considered that there may be people other than myself who think that you are fighting a lost cause. 'Unpaid volunteers?' What are you volunteering for? I must use your last sentence also. Give it up.

Well Lucifer (:))as ever the devil has the best tunes!
This "Huw" person seems to be playing the role of a bad fairy.. just willing the cinema to be taken from us altogether.
How strange that he thinks it will make the rest of us give up fighting?

And clearly he doesn't know that the cinema industry is the only part of the leisure business which is currently flourishing - and historically always does so in a recession. Indeed a major retailer today declared an interest in a new chain of small cinemas so the time is ripe for the EMD to make a glorious reappearance!

the cinema to be taken from us altogether.
How strange that he thinks it will make the rest of us give up fighting?

And clearly he doesn't know that the cinema industry is the only part of the leisure business which is currently flourishing - and historically always does so in a recession. Indeed a major retailer today declared an interest in a new chain of small cinemas so the time is ripe for the EMD to make a glorious reappearance!
Well Lucifer (:))as ever the devil has the best tunes! This "Huw" person seems to be playing the role of a bad fairy.. just willing the cinema to be taken from us altogether. How strange that he thinks it will make the rest of us give up fighting? And clearly he doesn't know that the cinema industry is the only part of the leisure business which is currently flourishing - and historically always does so in a recession. Indeed a major retailer today declared an interest in a new chain of small cinemas so the time is ripe for the EMD to make a glorious reappearance!

Two issues:

1. It has been taken, it is owned by the church.

2. As it is owned by the church, it cannot be used by an operator.

I would rather see it as a cinema but the church have been given the go ahead to submit plans again which are likely to be approved by the Council. The McGuffins seem to want the council to buy them a playground with public funds in the worse recession in the last seventy years. It will never happen and I wish the 'unpaid volunteers' did something to regenerate other forgotten buildings, that are owned by the local authority who are considering redeveloping them. 400 McGuffins do not represent the numerous tens of thousands who live in the Borough who did not turn up to protest for this hopeless cause.

E-number wrote:
Well Lucifer (:))as ever the devil has the best tunes! This "Huw" person seems to be playing the role of a bad fairy.. just willing the cinema to be taken from us altogether. How strange that he thinks it will make the rest of us give up fighting? And clearly he doesn't know that the cinema industry is the only part of the leisure business which is currently flourishing - and historically always does so in a recession. Indeed a major retailer today declared an interest in a new chain of small cinemas so the time is ripe for the EMD to make a glorious reappearance!

You're quite right, E-number. Unlike 'Huw' I have taken the trouble to speak with a few McGuffins in person to obtain the facts. I will continue to support their efforts in any way that I can, and will certainly not give up without a fight.

'Huw' tells us that he is using his real name (I suppose a check of the Electoral Roll could clarify this), and that he is a long-term resident of the borough. I would be interested what his threshold for 'long-term' would be. I have personally lived in the borough for more than 25 years, so I am guessing that would qualify? Whatever his own 'long-term' credentials might be, how sad it is that his only idea of progress is to surrender.

He then has the nerve to complain that I have chosen to 'snipe' at him!
Ahh, the taste of his own medicine is indeed bitter-sweet.

Huw, you seem to have endless time to post negative comments. Why not put some of it into doing something positive?

One reason it's hard to get anything done around here is that Waltham Forest council believes it can ignore local opinion and do what it likes. That's because most people mutter and whinge but don't actually get up and do anything.

The McGuffins and other local campaigners are trying to do something useful. If you can't bestir yourself to do any good, at least please stop sniping at those who do.

And if you lived in Finsbury Park you might have a more realistic view of the organisation you flatteringly call "the church".

For my part I have lived in this borough for ny-on 59 years and for almost half of those we have had just one conservation(sic) officer.
I can't understand why he, Guy Osborne, isn't coming in for huge criticism, and calls to resign for having made his own job untenable through the neglect the owners have been allowed to get away with since it closed.
It is the only Grade 2* listed property in the borough he has failed to place one of his tacky plastic blue heritage plaques on.

Huw Myles wrote:
Why does Mr Hodson gloat every time something goes wrong with the Arcade Site?

The EMD will never be a cinema as we knew it for as long as he has he has a hole in his ear. I am reliably informed that he is not even from London, let alone Walthamstow. Can he not find something to campaign for in his home town wherever that is? People are sick with seeing the EMD empty and the Church should just be allowed to bring it into use. Do the Macguffins not realise that there is a massive recession and that no cinema company would touch it with a barge pole now?

I think you'll find 70% of the population of this city were not born in London. And I'd rather have one person renting in Walthamstow for a year who cared about it than somebody who was born here but did nothing to support their local community and businesses.

JonathanB wrote:

Huw Myles wrote: Why does Mr Hodson gloat every time something goes wrong with the Arcade Site? The EMD will never be a cinema as we knew it for as long as he has he has a hole in his ear. I am reliably informed that he is not even from London, let alone Walthamstow. Can he not find something to campaign for in his home town wherever that is? People are sick with seeing the EMD empty and the Church should just be allowed to bring it into use. Do the Macguffins not realise that there is a massive recession and that no cinema company would touch it with a barge pole now?

I think you'll find 70% of the population of this city were not born in London. And I'd rather have one person renting in Walthamstow for a year who cared about it than somebody who was born here but did nothing to support their local community and businesses.

Hear, Hear! It is the value of the contribution not the longevity that counts. And the Mcguffins only represent public opinion. There are over 200,000 people in this borough.. NONE of these people have access to a cinema and ALL of them should.

It is hardly suggested that a restored EMD should be a playground for the McGuffins. It should be a playground for all. Even you, "Huw" should be allowed in with your fiver! :)

Lucifer1 wrote:

E-number wrote: Well Lucifer (:))as ever the devil has the best tunes! This "Huw" person seems to be playing the role of a bad fairy.. just willing the cinema to be taken from us altogether. How strange that he thinks it will make the rest of us give up fighting? And clearly he doesn't know that the cinema industry is the only part of the leisure business which is currently flourishing - and historically always does so in a recession. Indeed a major retailer today declared an interest in a new chain of small cinemas so the time is ripe for the EMD to make a glorious reappearance!

You're quite right, E-number. Unlike 'Huw' I have taken the trouble to speak with a few McGuffins in person to obtain the facts. I will continue to support their efforts in any way that I can, and will certainly not give up without a fight. 'Huw' tells us that he is using his real name (I suppose a check of the Electoral Roll could clarify this), and that he is a long-term resident of the borough. I would be interested what his threshold for 'long-term' would be. I have personally lived in the borough for more than 25 years, so I am guessing that would qualify? Whatever his own 'long-term' credentials might be, how sad it is that his only idea of progress is to surrender. He then has the nerve to complain that I have chosen to 'snipe' at him! Ahh, the taste of his own medicine is indeed bitter-sweet.

Why are you trying to find me on the Electoral Role now? You trying to stalk me? All this irrelevent, stick to the points please.

He was joking I'm sure, we all know you're not on there because your name is made up, just like Claridger, Arvin Brockhurst, Inkatton and now Huw Myles.

Walthamstow noob wrote:
He was joking I'm sure, we all know you're not on there because your name is made up, just like Claridger, Arvin Brockhurst, Inkatton and now Huw Myles.

Paranoia is treatable you know?

You may as well add Bert Small whilst your at it. I would be flattered then!

Huw Myles wrote:

Walthamstow noob wrote: He was joking I'm sure, we all know you're not on there because your name is made up, just like Claridger, Arvin Brockhurst, Inkatton and now Huw Myles.

Paranoia is treatable you know? You may as well add Bert Small whilst your at it. I would be flattered then!

If you are referring to Bertie Smalls, he is dead!

However, if you look at this forum:

http://www.thisisloc
allondon.co.uk/news/
4008974.WALTHAMSTOW_
_Squatters_invade_fo
rmer_EMD_cinema_buil
ding/

You will see that the second to last comment (another anti-McGuffin comment) is from 'Bert Small'.
It seems we have found another of your made-up names!

Lucifer1 wrote:

Huw Myles wrote:

Walthamstow noob wrote: He was joking I'm sure, we all know you're not on there because your name is made up, just like Claridger, Arvin Brockhurst, Inkatton and now Huw Myles.

Paranoia is treatable you know? You may as well add Bert Small whilst your at it. I would be flattered then!

If you are referring to Bertie Smalls, he is dead!

However, if you look at this forum:

http://www.thisisloc

allondon.co.uk/news/

4008974.WALTHAMSTOW_

_Squatters_invade_fo

rmer_EMD_cinema_buil

ding/

You will see that the second to last comment (another anti-McGuffin comment) is from 'Bert Small'.
It seems we have found another of your made-up names!

I am very flattered to be associated with old Bert, he was an institution and livened up the threads with some wit instead usual negativity and dreary comments. What happened to him?