Urban Splash in picture to resurrect old ABC cinema

Sep 6 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

THE disused ABC cinema, on Lime Street, is set to become a New York-style supper club and 40-bedroom boutique hotel, it has been revealed.

Regeneration agency English Partnerships has appointed award-winning property developer Urban Splash, the company behind such projects as Alma de Cuba and the Tea Factory in the city centre and the Matchworks in Speke, as preferred developer.

The Art Deco building is protected by its Grade II listed status, and the developer has vowed to sensitively restore it “to its former glory” and spearhead development in the city post-2008.

Plans are currently at the negotiating stage, and it will be about six months before the first designs for the former cinema will be unveiled.

Proposals from Urban Splash include conversion of the main upper auditorium into a luxury supper club, which will be accessed via the main ground floor foyer and lobby, conversion of two smaller cinema screens on the ground floor into new retail leisure units with independent access from Lime Street, and a boutique hotel on the top floor.

Managing director Bill Maynard called the building an “architectural gem”.

He told the Daily Post: “We were very pleased to be selected to do the ABC cinema. We really cherish doing those listed buildings, and it is one of the best art deco cinemas in the country.

“There are lots of changes in the pipeline for Lime Street. We are hoping to get planning approval in early 2009, and we are really seeing it as the next phase after 2008.

“The building has a listed interior and exterior so, as always, whatever we do will be a really good job.

“We have a really good track record with listed buildings, and part of our commitment is to realise the importance of the auditorium, which we want to restore to its former glory.”

Urban Splash says plans for the supper club are inspired by venues in Amsterdam, London and New York, and will be a mixture of restaurant, bar, and burlesque, cabaret-style entertainment.

The boutique hotel will provide 40 rooms over two floors.

Mr Maynard said: “It is all about creating a really sumptuous environment for people. With the supper club and the boutique hotel, we want to create something interesting which will be a real destination in itself.” The cinema dates from 1931, but has lain vacant for nine years.

It was then acquired by English Partnerships with a view to bringing it back into economic use and assisting the wider regeneration of Lime Street.

Three viewing days held for property developers in January subsequently attracted more than 20 organisations.

Liverpool footballer Jamie Carragher and partner The Flanagan Group had previously looked at the ABC for their Sports Cafe England project, which will open shortly on Stanley Street, but became frustrated by delays in decisions over the site.

The ABC project is expected to be completed by mid- 2010.

Paul Spooner, regional director of English Partnerships, said: “The ABC cinema is Grade II listed and many of the internal features must be retained.

“This is a fantastic-looking building on a key site in the city, and we are very excited by the concept presented which will enable it to play a key role in Liverpool’s vibrant social scene once again.”

Work on cleaning the stone exterior of the cinema to improve its short-term appearance is currently being undertaken by English Partnerships.

* A SPECIAL report on Lime Street’s future in tomorrow’s Daily Post.

vickyanderson@dailypost.co.uk