BFI Funding

£45 million for one complex seems very steep especially at the moment. Surely there are more sensible ways to invest in the film sector in this country than put all that money in to the one pot? I think having lived in london, worked in the film industry and gone to cinemas everyweek I have only ever been to BFI twice!

JuliaBaker wrote:

I have only ever been to BFI twice!

And I've been loads of times. Already one of, if not the best resources for film fans in the world is now going to get a further investment and expansion. And it's on our doorsteps. Good times.

Yeah but its a cinema!! £45 million on a cinema which just already got refurbed? Tate is having to fundraise to the hilt on their own without government funding and I would argue that attracts more to SE1 and london as a whole. Also not all of SE1 is wealthy and to pour that cash into one project I think is very wrong

To be clear - the Government's £45 million pledge isn't a guarantee it will go ahead, at least in the short term, as the total cost will be much greater and the BFI will have to fundraise for the rest.

Quote:

£45 million on a cinema which just already got refurbed?

This is going to be a totally new building - the existing building, while having a light refurb recently only actually has a lifetime of another 10-15 years after which it will become impossible to use.

In the sake of clarity, lets remember that the Tate extension is getting government funding (confirmed in the same article on this site and elsewhere) to the tune of £50m...

brilliant idea build a cinema on the banks of the thames on a piece of land zoned metropolitan open land ..... this is the highest protection available to keep as free space ... hopefully it will never make it through the planning hoops

williamn wrote:

the existing building, while having a light refurb recently only actually has a lifetime of another 10-15 years after which it will become impossible to use.

What excellent structures we're building these days

I'll be amazed if the 5yr old building where I live will still be here, in 15 years.

As for these Grants to the BFI, TATE et all, whilst I am very much into the Arts, I also wonder why they get so much and vital organisations, such as the PDSA, RSPCA etc etc etc, get not one penny!

Philpotts24 wrote:

I'll be amazed if the 5yr old building where I live will still be here, in 15 years.

Ditto for the circa 10 yr old "architect-designed" (love that phrase) place where we live.

Hopefully the current climate (i.e. buying houses not being a license to print money) might mean that people are less willing to accept rubbish building standards in future.

There's no way I'd buy the flat we rent.