3 February (Part 2) - Nightmare on Elm Road
The Labour Group has made its concerns about the losses incurred by Bexley's
foolhardy move into film shows the subject of its latest Press Release. Experienced operators are finding the
cinema business difficult but some sort of collective arrogance made Bexley Tories think they could do better.
There is not a lot that can be added to Labour’s observations except that the losses were
well over £100,000 with another £105,000of refurbishment loan which may or may
not be paid back. Incidentally the auditoriums and their equipment were not
refurbished although some parts of the building may have beem.
This Press Release is also available via the
Index to Labour Press Releases.
BEXLEY LABOUR GROUP PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2026
SIDCUP STORYTELLER CINEMA
Bexley Labour Group has serious concerns about this Conservative Council’s
lack of due diligence and ongoing monitoring of the previous contract for
the cinema in Sidcup.
Despite concerns raised in 2024 about the previous operator’s financial
viability, there was a lack of urgency from the Council in addressing the
company’s history and the emerging failure of the contract. We were
repeatedly assured that the Council was in dialogue with the operator and
that the situation was being actively managed.
In early January 2025 it was confirmed that the Really Local Group (RLG) had
gone into liquidation. On 21 January 2025, we were advised that “the Council
will now move quickly to appoint a new operator for the longer term and will
update further as soon as possible”.
At the point of liquidation in January 2025, RLG owed £55,294 in unpaid
rent, covering the period from May 2024 to January 2025. No further rental
charges were levied during the additional period they continued to operate
from January to July 2025.
In July 2025, the Council announced that the premises would close for
refurbishment, with a planned reopening in September.
At Public Cabinet in November 2025, the Cabinet Member for Place Shaping
wildly attempted to apportion some of the
blame for this whole debacle on
the Hollywood actors strike that had occurred in 2023.
The venue eventually reopened fully on 2 January 2026 under the new tenure
of Castle Cinema, following a soft launch in December.
Cllr Anna Day, Shadow Cabinet member for Places said:
“Despite voicing our concerns about the sustainability of the contract in
2024 when it became evident that there was a problem, we were assured that
the Council was in dialogue with the Really Local Group and managing the
contract effectively.
This Conservative council’s failure to manage this contract properly from
the outset, followed by a year-long delay in installing a new service
provider, has cost the Bexley council taxpayers thousands of pounds in lost rental income.”
Cllr Stefano Borella, Leader of Bexley Labour Group said:
“This disaster is embarrassing for Bexley Conservatives who have been
promoting their pet project saying that this has been such a success, when
the reality is quite different, in addition their failure to not build any
affordable housing by the council’s own development arm Bexley Co on the old
Sidcup library site on Hadlow Road, which is a disgrace.
Due to a lack of due diligence in the selection of the previous operator,
the Council has lost more than £100,000 in revenue, in addition to
significant officer time - money that could have been used to mitigate the
decision to reduce council tax support for the most vulnerable residents in Bexley.”
In October we were advised that a thorough due diligence process had been
carried out for the new provider. We welcome the re-opening of the cinema on
2 January 2025 under the new tenure of Castle Cinema and wish the team every success
Film times and ticket booking are available at www.castlesidcup.com
and Castle Sidcup opening times are from 9:30 am – 11 pm