The former Kilkeel Town Hall building, which once housed the Vogue Cinema, is up for sale with an asking price of £120,000.
In April, the council’s Strategy, Policy and Resources Committee voted 9-3 in closed session to continue to “the open market process to achieve the best price” for the listed Newry Street property.
The recommendation was tabled for ratification by all councillors the following month, although further discussion on the matter was held – again in closed session – after a proposal was made and seconded respectively by DUP Mournes representatives Henry Reilly and Glyn Hanna.
A 28-5 vote ultimately saw the committee’s recommendation to sell the building on the open market rubber-stamped.
Attempts have previously been made to sell the building, which has been vacant since 2007, through the D1 process for the disposal of surplus property within the public sector.
Belfast-based estate agents TDK Property recently listed the “large, listed town centre building” for sale as a “refurbishment/redevelopment opportunity”.
“The subject property comprises a large detached commercial building that was formerly used as a cinema/theatre,” the sales brochure states.
“It occupies a secure site of approximately 0.4 acres with good street frontage.
“The property is a B2-listed building and internally retains the tiered seating and large stage area.
“The property offers a refurbishment/redevelopment opportunity.”
The brochure states that offers in the region of £120,000 are being sought.
The Department for Communities’ Buildings Database describes the former town hall as “an inter-war cinema in a streamlined Moderne style”, adding that “the cinema consists of a large auditorium”, which was “built on a stadium principle, making use of the hill site so that seating area sloped downwards towards the screen for maximum visibility”.
The date of its construction is listed as between 1920 and 1939.
The database highlights that the building was opened on 19 April 1940 by Countess Kilmorey and that the first feature film shown was Rage of Paris, starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Its original owners were Messrs McGonagle and McCulla, and its architect was Kilkeel man Ben Cowser, of the Belfast firm Cowser and Smyth.
In December 2020, a public consultation exploring the possibility of rejuvenating the town landmark was launched by Kilkeel Development Association (KDA) Charitable Trust, with support from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) through a project viability grant.
An AHF statement at the time said that a diverse range of uses would be considered, including “a community cinema, a venue for live music and the performing arts, a media and digital hub and recording studio, workshops, a gallery and exhibition space, a café/bistro, and co-working and meeting spaces”.
“KDA Charitable Trust has entered into a community asset transfer process, with a requirement to submit a business plan to the council by March 2021,” it read.
“Thanks to the project viability grant from AHF, the Trust can now fully engage in consultation with the community, key stakeholders and funders, and determine the cost of repairs to establish whether a sound business case can be made.”
