Local MP Robbie Moore has condemned Bradford Council’s decision to put Keighley’s historic Picture House cinema up for sale, warning that the move risks losing one of the town’s most treasured community assets and urging local authorities to protect the historic site.
Built in 1913, the Picture House has been a central part of Keighley’s cultural life for over a century.
The sale is being made with the current cinema tenant in place, but in the official auction listing, Bradford Council’s agents state: “The property may represent an opportunity to… redevelop subject to securing vacant possession.”
The town’s local MP said this phrasing is a clear signal that the building’s future as a cinema could be under threat if a new owner seeks to remove the tenant and has called for clarity from the Council.
There is an Asset of Community Value (ACV) designation on the property, which is a legal status in the UK that recognise the property’s importance to the local community.
However, the ACV protections are only triggered if the property is sold with "vacant possession" (i.e., without any existing tenants). In this case, the ACV does not apply because the property is being sold with an existing lease in place
The MP says he also believes there is a strong case for Keighley Town Council to explore acquiring the Picture House for the town.
*Robbie Moore MP said:*
“The Picture House has been a part of Keighley’s heritage for more than 110 years. Generations have come here, yet now Bradford Council are putting one of Keighley’s most treasured assets on sale in order to try and salvage their own financial mess. This is all while they pour millions into City (centre) of Culture.
To make matters worse, buried in the auction details is this sentence: “The property may represent an opportunity to… redevelop subject to securing vacant possession.” That means if the buyer forces the cinema to close, it could be turned into flats or offices and the site’s heritage lost forever.
Today, I’m calling on Bradford Council to guarantee the Picture House remains a cinema and to take redevelopment completely off the table. I also believe there is a strong case for the Town Council to do all it can to purchase this asset for our town. Our heritage should not be for sale and Bradford Council have let us down once again. It's unbelievable.”
