Goodbye to the Embassy?

Friday, 26 June 2009

AN ICONIC Bridgend landmark may be demolished.
An application has been lodged by owner Mel Mathias to demolish the old Embassy Cinema which stands at the gateway into Bridgend.
The building gave its name to the Embassy Bridge, removed more than a decade ago when the new cross valley link road was opened, which took traffic out of the town centre.
The cinema was opened in 1939 and built of brick in the art- deco style. Its heyday was during the war and the 1950s, when it was the town’s premier cinema.
Long queues would form to see popular films, and when Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard was screened in 1962, the queue stretched as far as the bridge.
It closed in the mid 1980s and then became the Ritz Bingo Hall, but this eventually closed and it was bought by local businessman Mr Mathias, who owns Centre Great.
He originally had plans to convert it into a restaurant and theatre.
However, he has now lodged an application to demolish it and use the site for a temporary surface car park. At the moment, he operates a car park on the land around the building, and on land opposite which used to house the old Palais de Danse dance hall – which has also been demolished. Both buildings played a leading part in the social lives of young people in the 1950s and 1960s.
The architectural style of the Embassy was mimicked by the designers of the call centre built on the old Brewery site nearby, who chose an art deco theme for that building.
Charles Thorp, of Bridgend Civic Society, said that they had not yet had time to consider the proposals. But he said from a personal point of view he would like to see it saved and brought back into use.
He said: “It is not a beautiful building, but it is a landmark, and I think the council should buy it and transfer the county library HQ from Coed Parc to it.
“They could then sell Coed Parc and the money from that would pay for The Embassy.”
A spokesman for Bridgend County Borough Council confirmed that the building is not listed and it is not in a conservation area.
It is understood that, in the long term, Mr Mathias wishes to develop a hotel on the site.

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1 comments on this news item

Posted by : karl, bridgend | Wednesday 30/Sep/2009 | Report this comment

hi my name is karl and i really dont want to see this marvellous building go to waste i have so many ideas for the place and would possibly consider buying it myself. would have to find out who owns it first...

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