London's Cinemas Do Not Reflect Multicultural Nature of the City - Teather

1.25.06pm GMT Tue 11th Jan 2005

Sarah Teather is calling for more choice at London's cinema's

Brent East MP and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for London Sarah Teather yesterday tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling for a wider diversity in films shown in London's cinemas. The Brent East MP is concerned that the number of multiplex's springing up around London is restricting many Londoners' access to cinemas and that the majority of films are from the United States.

Brent East MP and Liberal Democrat spokesperson for London Sarah Teather said:

"London is a modern and multi-cultural city, Londoners would benefit greatly from having more choice at the cinema. With nine out of ten films being shown in outer London coming from the United States there is a great need for more diversity in our cinema's."

Full text of Sarah Teather's motion.

That this House welcomes Time Out magazine's campaign to support local and independent cinemas in London; notes research by the Greater London Assembly's Culture Committee showing that 13 London boroughs have no or only limited access to cinemas compared to the national average; further notes the growing concentration of cinema exhibition and ownership in the UK, with multiplex venues accounting for 71 per cent. of cinema screens in 2003 compared to 10 per cent. in 1988, 37 per cent. in 1995 and 57 per cent. in 1999; believes that these trends have restricted access to the cinema for many people and the choice of films on offer to cinema-goers, with 9 out of 10 films screened in Outer London cinemas coming from the United States; believes that this is particularly regrettable in a multicultural city such as London, which would benefit from the wider distribution of a greater diversity of films in different languages;

further believes that local cinemas make an important contribution to the economic and social vitality of local communities and to social inclusion; and therefore calls on Her Majesty's Government to reform planning law to remove cinemas from the use class category D2 (Leisure) so that any change of use involving a cinema building requires planning permission, and to amend the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to allow local authorities to provide business rate relief to local cinemas.