Birmingham Electric Cinema campaign optimistic after ‘vital’ Station Street decision

A high-profile campaign to ‘save’ Birmingham’s Station Street has praised a decision to hand one of its historic buildings a Grade II listing. The future of the street, which runs behind Grand Central and New Street, was thrust back into the public consciousness following the sudden closure of the Electric Cinema.

The cinema’s fate has been left uncertain since, inspiring the campaign to ‘save’ the street - which has been backed by Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne and other stars. Historic England has announced the old Market Hotel building in Station Street has been granted Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Now the Comfort Inn, it was built in 1883 as a unique part-hotel, part-warehouse and was described as an “increasingly rare surviving example of Birmingham’s once signature terracotta style”. It was the third listed building in Station Street.

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Reacting to the news on X, formerly Twitter, the Save Station Street campaign wrote: “The Market Hotel joins The Old Rep and The Crown as listed building #3 on Station Street. We still await recommendations on the UK's oldest cinema, The Electric, by Historic England.

“But this is another vital protection for the country's most important grassroots arts street". They added: “We hope the UK's oldest cinema, The Electric, will soon join The Crown, The Old Rep and The Market Hotel on Historic England's Grade II list.”

Louise Brennan, Historic England’s regional director in the Midlands, said: “The people of Birmingham will rightly be thrilled that Station Street is now the site of yet another nationally-designated building. I’m really pleased that DCMS agreed with our recommendation to protect this grand but little-known gem tucked away on the corner of this increasingly important street.”

Tim Bridges, conservation adviser at The Victorian Society, said he was “delighted” the Market Hotel had been added to the list. “The 19th century hotel combined with a warehouse is close to New Street station, in a part of Birmingham where many Victorian buildings have sadly been lost,” he said.

“Listed status will help to ensure this fine building with its terracotta decoration can be preserved for future generations".

Glenbrook's proposals for The Electric

Earlier this year, property developer Glenbrook said it had ambitions of ‘re-inventing’ The Electric and seeing it survive another century - an endeavour that could be supported through the delivery of build-to-rent homes in a tower block. It also revealed aspirations, by working with key partners such as the city council, of seeing Station Street transformed into the “heart of a wider cultural walk”.

Glenbrook is the leaseholder for 43-45, 47 and 51-55 Station Street, which includes The Electric Cinema and adjacent buildings but not The Crown or The Old Rep. It has previously argued it does not believe that listing the building is “necessarily in the best interest of ensuring The Electric survives as a cultural institution”.

“For decades the building’s layout, fabric, and condition have been major hindrances to its commercial viability, and have greatly limited its capacity to adapt, evolve, and survive,” it claimed. “Listing may ‘lock in’ these issues and prevent the substantial private investment necessary to ensure it can operate for a further century.

“Listing will also greatly limit our ability to deliver both an enhanced film and cultural offer across the site and support public realm improvement along Station Street,” it added.