The Mayor of Lewisham has selected Curzon cinemas as the Council's preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Ladywell Playtower.
Of the four proposals shortlisted to restore the building, the Curzon plan was ranked joint-first by Council officers alongside a rival cinema scheme from Picturehouse and came second to the Picturehouse plan in the public consultation. A petition against Picturehouse gained momentum in recent days, due to the pay and conditions offered to the parent group's workers. Picturehouse has come under criticism for refusing to pay its staff the London Living Wage, resulting in strikes shutting down its Ritzy cinema in Brixton, a long-running dispute which has spread to other Picturehouse venues. 7,500 people have signed a petition against Picturehouse taking on the Playtower. On the other hand, Curzon has paid London Living Wage – which was increased last week to £10.20/hour – since 2014. Last year, the firm opened a small cinema inside the Goldsmiths campus in New Cross, the first in the borough since the Catford ABC closed in 2001.
The Proposal
. @mayorbullock has announced he has selected @CurzonCinemas @Guildmore to build a 3 screen 220 seat 🎥 cinema 🎬 at Ladywell Playtower 👍 🍿👏🏾
— Lewisham Council (@LewishamCouncil) 15 November 2017
The Curzon scheme was produced in partnership with developers Guildmore and will include "a mix of residential, nursery and supported living uses across the remainder of the site."
The is a great result for the building, which at one point looked irrepairable and Ladywell as a whole.
Our print of the iconic Ladywell Playtower
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