Veteran comedian Stewart Lee has thrown his support behind efforts to preserve Oxford’s longest-running cinema venue.
The performer will present his production Pea Green Boat at three separate events at the Ultimate Picture Palace in November.
Revenue generated from these occasions will be directed entirely to the campaign attempting to secure the venue’s long-term future, as the establishment contends with lease negotiations involving its landlord, Oriel College.
Lee, who was introduced to cinema at the venue during the 1980s, will deliver a 25-minute performance at each gathering, followed by audience questions and a book signing session.
The Ultimate Picture Palace, situated in Jeune Street near Cowley Road, faces uncertainty because its current lease agreement with Oriel College terminates in 2037.
The institution, which forms part of the University of Oxford, intends to incorporate the Grade II protected structure into its proposed Fifth Quad expansion initiative.
The college’s head, Baron Neil Mendoza, has faced criticism for allegedly preventing the cinema from obtaining Asset of Community Value designation, a classification that offers safeguards against redevelopment.
A petition hosted on Change.org advocating for the preservation of the Ultimate Picture Palace has accumulated almost 24,000 signatures.
The campaign is urging Oriel College to prolong the cinema’s lease, thereby enabling the venue to remain operational in the building where it has functioned as a cinema since 1911.
Oxford East Member of Parliament Anneliese Dodds, who participated in a demonstration earlier in the year to demonstrate solidarity with the cause, characterised the establishment as historically singular, culturally innovative, and treasured by local residents.
She expressed hope that Oriel College would pursue collaboration with the venue to guarantee its continuation within its iconic structure in central East Oxford, describing the outcome as advantageous for local residents, many of whom backed the cinema’s community ownership proposal, as well as for the university and other neighbourhood institutions.
Green Party councillor Alex Powell, representing the St Clement’s ward where the cinema is located, also endorsed the initiative.
He emphasised that the Ultimate Picture Palace first opened its doors in 1911, serving as an essential component of East Oxford’s heritage and a vital communal gathering place.
He noted that the venue also ranks among the oldest functioning cinemas in England and serves as a significant cultural centre for the city.
He characterised the potential loss of a community-owned asset as disgraceful and called upon Oriel College to acknowledge its obligations to the Oxford community by permitting the extension of the lease so that the venue can persist as an integral part of local life.
He stressed that all divisions of Oxford University bear a responsibility to local inhabitants and that eliminating this historic venue would constitute a breach of that responsibility.
A spokesperson for Oriel College, Jared Smith, stated that no demolition of the cinema is planned.
He expressed pride in the institution’s heritage cinema and noted ongoing discussions with the new management regarding arrangements to maintain public access.
He clarified that lease extension is not under consideration at this preliminary stage of the tenancy.
The Ultimate Picture Palace holds the distinction of being the fourth oldest independent cinema in Britain and stands alone among such venues as a community-owned enterprise with more than 1,200 shareholders.