Imminent closure of The Picture House

[WC1]

A memo on 13 July from Brian Olof, Chairman of the Community Business, to local councillors and other interested parties, indicates that admissions at The Picture House are down 35% in the first six months of 2005. This is blamed on (a) the lack of popular films (b) the fact that pirate DVDs of films are available before they ever get near the Picture House (or even the cities in some cases) and their uptake is rife in the town (c) the practice of folk going to see films in the city rather than wait for them to come here and (d) the availability of films on DVD more quickly than in the past. Unless there is an upturn, Mr Olof intends to propose that the Picture House be closed in a matter of weeks. Anyone with proposals for a solution is asked to contact him (01583 431501) or go to the Community Business AGM on Friday, 22 July, at 7.30 pm in the Picture House.

[Ship called Dignity]

This is truly worrying!

[4th gen Suthen']

The subject line of this thread jumped out at me and made my blood run cold............

A big campaign in the Courier and local radio....and on here must be started right away.

Folks that watch the pirate DVDs must be made aware what they are doing to the Picture House and their home town......

Going to Glassgow to see a film when it will be here in weeks?..... Surely MADNESS

People have a social responsibilty to use their local shops and businesses.......it is their DUTY to do so. USE THE PICTURE HOUSE ..it is one of the few unique and wonderful things we have here.

No use sitting at home watching pirate DVDs on a machine bought in Glasgow, buying stuff from catalogues and Amazon then complaining when another shop closes or a business folds... "oh look at the state of he town" well, we can ALL help, we can ALL save our home town....but naebdy cares.......they say they do but they dont.

If we want a nice town with good facilities and decent roads, nice trees, well kept flower beds....busy shops and attractions...... USE THEM.....
Jeezo, I have been annoying folk for years preaching this on the radio...."groan groan there he goes again"
I am Southend through and through but was born in Craigard and consider myself a proud Campbeltonian.........
I love my home town, everybody should....... and everybody must contribute.

Read Freddy's book "In Campbeltown Once More" and the big "Campbeltown" book and many others.. we can never get back to these days but it might give folk a wee sense of pride and the kick up the erse to make them realise what they have to do......

I am beginning to ramble like an eejit............
Also preaching to the choir......anyone reading this will be of the same opinion............

BUT FFS lets do something.

SAVE THE PICTURES.....SAVE THE TOON.

[Jonathan]

Folks that watch the pirate DVDs must be made aware what they are doing to the Picture House and their home town......

80% total rubbish - just think about what you are saying.

Going to Glassgow to see a film when it will be here in weeks?..... Surely MADNESS

Customer choice

People have a social responsibilty to use their local shops and businesses.......it is their DUTY to do so. USE THE PICTURE HOUSE ..it is one of the few unique and wonderful things we have here.

It's also up to the shops to be customer focused and provide a service that the people want. The people will then vote with their wallets.

When was the last time you were in the picture house to see a film?

What does the picture house offer as an experience for the user? Apart from the film of course!!

If we want a nice town with good facilities and decent roads, nice trees, well kept flower beds....busy shops and attractions...... USE THEM.....
Jeezo, I have been annoying folk for years preaching this on the radio...."groan groan there he goes again"
I am Southend through and through but was born in Craigard and consider myself a proud Campbeltonian.........
I love my home town, everybody should....... and everybody must contribute.

I work for a Stirling Council - attracts tourists - new shopping developments - new large housing areas - does not make the council provide better roads/trees/flower beds/cut grass. The politics of these descisions and policies go far beyond that type of arguement.


It's obviously true that if Campbeltown wishes to keep it's cinema then it must be used but is it being used properly?

[WC1]

Two questions for Jonathan.

If 80% is rubbish, what is the other 20?

How do you use a cinema 'properly'?

[petewick]

Whilst I do not want the Picture House to close, I no longer go to the movies as I feel that Hollywood is churning out nothing but repeats and animated drivel.
May I point out at this stage that I do not go to the cinema in any other locality nor do I own a DVD player.
Petewick

[oorly gourlay]

4th gen's rant is a bit off the wall and I'm inclined to agree with Petewick that the main problem with the cinema is the dearth of decent films being shown. A good film is a good film whether it is one week or one year after its release. The last "blockbuster" that I watched was Troy and what an insult that was to Homer (I suppose the script would have been too long had he written it) and it made Braveheart look to be historically accurate.

I am sorry that the Picture House is in trouble and hope that it can make a recovery but if this is the standard of films being produced by the studios then there is not much hope for the future.

BTW where are all these pirate DVDs? I've never seen or been offered one in the town

oorly

[amron]

I take my kids to all the films that is suitable for them.
They love it.
I think that they could try to put a matinee on especially in the winter mabey once a month and make sure that it is advertised in plenty of time so that people know it is on.
I also think that if you are taking young children to a U cert a starting time should be 7pm.
I know this might not suit staff but it would suit plenty of mothers. You would be back home for 8.30 instead of 9.30.

We do not want to lose the picture house and once it is gone it will be gone for good.

[Big Craig]

I go to the pictures, pretty much, on a weekly basis and I have to say that I'm amazed that it has managed to stay open for as long as it has. Unfortunately I don't see how it can remain open.

The last major blockbuster that was shown was Star Wars - Revenge Of The Sith - On the night I went to see it the picture house was the busiest I've seen it for many a long month, but it was still only about half full. I know for a fact that a large number of people had pirate copies of this film and were happily passing them around their mates (I was offered a copy for free ).
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was shown here recently and I was also offered a copy. I have been offered copies of "Any movie I want" by people whose mates in Glasgow send them copies because they are so easy to get a hold of and so cheap to duplicate.

If nothing is done to curb the boom in pirate copies, then it won't just be our Picture House that suffers, it'll be the whole movie industry and then all the cheapskates who bought dodgy copies will be screwed, along with the rest of us.

[Malky]

I also think that if you are taking young children to a U cert a starting time should be 7pm.
I know this might not suit staff but it would suit plenty of mothers. You would be back home for 8.30 instead of 9.30.

Pretty sure they already do that for kids movies.

Malky

[amron]

They don,t do a 7pm time any more.
I had my sons pals to the pictures to see Star Wars for his birthday and parents were phoning me at 10.35 to check that everything was ok.
That is just too late for kids. That was the film just finished and by the time the kids were all left home it was well after 11pm.
Too late for kids if they walk home after the pictures especially on a Saturday night.
I would not take my kids through the week as 9.30 - 10.00 is too late for young ones on a school night.

[Jonathan]

Two questions for Jonathan.

If 80% is rubbish, what is the other 20?

How do you use a cinema 'properly'?

Ok - to a degree pirating of DVDs does stop people from going to a cinema (in a broader view) however , I don't know what the state of broadband is in Campbeltown, but is the proliferation of pirate dvds in 'town at such a level that it stops the patronage of the cinema? I feel sorry for the people that actually pay money for the crappy CAM copies.

It's a bit ironic too that the same companies that complain about pirating - manufacture the blank dvds/cds - manufacture the recording equipment. They developed the technologies and they thrive off the technologies.
Also with regards to protecting the cinema - will people propose to close whatever video/dvd rental businesses there are in the town?

The other point you highlight - in such a small town in such an area as Campbeltown - does the use of the cinema as purely a cinema with limited show times etc the best use of the resources available and the building itself?

[4th gen Suthen']

OK OK, perhaps I was ranting and raving yesterday morning! I should have taken a few deep breaths in a paper bag and gulped down a few calm pills before posting then would have apeared a bit more and collected...........

Just the thought of yet another one of our ( I thought, but maybe I am wrong) much loved loved Campbeltown institutions closing down filled me with dread.........yet another empty building in the town.... One of the few attractions we have got.......gone for ever.

Wont get into it all again but we can all support our local community and everyone should.
It IS our duty and certainly no use complaining about the state of things if we dont............

Calm pills taking effect now

Jonathon, if you have any ideas how to better use the Picture House building I am sure Mr Olaf would be very pleased to hear them.

[WC1]

Not a big turnout for the AGM of the Picture House last night but I can report a more positive outcome than 'imminent closure'. The three local councillors were there and they undertook to go away and find some cash to help keep the cinema afloat. The Board took on the criticism that films were taking longer to arrive here than in the past and they look like getting some help from AIE to address this. They're going to look at how the popular 'First Monday' films can be used to bring in that audience more often. And there is more strong 'product' (ie, films) due for release in the second half of the year so they are hoping that booking these will pull admissions upwards before the year end. At the bottom line it's up to everone locally to support their cinema by getting their bum on a seat more often (subtle that, do you not think) and by becoming a Community Business member. Oh, and we need to tackle the pirate DVD problem - it's hitting dale McArthur at Main Video too. Eh, that's all folks, but it's definitely over to us now.

[Jonathan]

Oh, and we need to tackle the pirate DVD problem - it's hitting dale McArthur at Main Video too. Eh, that's all folks, but it's definitely over to us now.

Tape to Tape? Mix cds for the car? Anyone here done that? Videoing a tv program.....?


Not alot that YOU or the collective WE can do about that bar not buying the things!! Leave pirates up to the FBI - to which they seem to be doing a not bad job of closing down some groups. However there will always be piracy - it won't go away and in a way it's a good thing too..... does force some of the larger companies to rethink their strategies!!



One thing to look at for the furture of the cinema is this impact of broadband. More and more content is becoming available online due to the faster speeds available - and it's legal stuff too. In the US for example you can legally download DVDs from a certain site for a small subscription fee. Just look at iTunes and Napster(reincarnation) and how popular they are!!
How will the cinema cope up against the new technologies!!