Kilburn Councillors Support The State

The campaign to Save The Kilburn State has secured the support of all three Kilburn Ward councillors.

Here's what they had to say:

Cllr Mary Arnold: "We must make sure that the Kilburn people's aspirations for the Mecca State are achieved and that the old State cinema is brought back into use giving access for people in the community. Brent Council has defined the building for entertainment and leisure, an opportunity to regain the cultural leading edge for performance and local skills together with fine architecture in the High Rd."

Cllr Anthony Dunn: "Hosting one of, if not the largest Wurlitzer organ in the UK, the Kilburn State is a rare architectural gem in the area. There is no way that the local authority is about to accede to any request to change the planning designation of the Kilburn State, accept any attempt to revoke its Grade II* listed status or allow it to be demolished to make way for more housing. Any potential purchaser should be fully aware of this. Why not use the place for the purpose for which it was built: entertainment."

Cllr Derek Jackson: "As a Kilburn Ward Councillor I feel strongly that this unique building should remain."

The campaign thanks them for their support.

Campaign Update

Since the campaign to "Save the State" started two weeks ago, it has prompted:

1. Three local councillors (Mary Arnold, Anthony Dunn and Derek Jackson) and an MEP (Sarah Ludford) to take up the issue;
2. The Kilburn Times to run a story (Sam-Daliri, N. (2007, 23 August). 'The Empire that can't fight back'. The Kilburn Times, p. 7.);
3. Brent Planning Department to send a photographer to the building to catalogue its listed features;
4. And the Kilburn Town Centre Manager to alert local police and Street Care officers, and advise them to pay special attention to the building while it is empty.

So far so good. But the future of The State is still uncertain. So keep your ears to the ground, your eye on the blog... and hold your elected representatives to their promises to Save the State!

The Empire that can't fight back

The Kilburn Times ran a story on the closing of The State last week: Sam-Daliri, N. (2007, 23 August). 'The Empire that can't fight back'. The Kilburn Times, p. 7.

Where is The Kilburn State?

The address of The State is:

197/199 Kilburn High Road
London
NW6 7HY

Find it here on Google Maps:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=NW6+7HY&ie=UTF8&ll=51.541171,-0.197496&spn=0.00702,0.013604&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

"Save The Kilburn State!" Petition

The Petition to Save the Kilburn State is up and running. Click here:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethekilburnstate/index.html

Background information on The State

For more information on The State, see:
http://picturepalace.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/public/kilburn.htm
http://www.brent-heritage.co.uk/gaumont.htm
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1478/

For photos of The State, see:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/sets/72157600436133682/

Save The Kilburn State!

The Kilburn State is under threat!

When it opened in 1937, The Kilburn State -- a Grade II* listed building -- was the biggest auditorium in Europe, with seating for 4,004 people. Since then, The State has played host to a galaxy of stars -- The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, George Formby, Deep Purple, and many many more. And for the past 20 years, The State has been run by Mecca Bingo.

But now Mecca is selling up. The State is closing, and its future is in the balance.

There's a serious danger that The State could fall into the hands of unsympathetic property developers, who will deliberately allow the The State decay, and then, when it is beyond repair, tear it down to build flats.

Don't let The Kilburn State be destroyed! Join the campaign to return it to its former glory as a vibrant cultural centre in the heart of London.