Charlie Smith
FOR more than 50 years film fans on the Rock have flocked to the Queen’s Cinema.
But the iconic building was not just a place to catch the latest Hollywood flick or British classic.
It became a meeting point for Gibraltarians, a cultural hub, a place where families could spend time together.
That is why the news this week that the cinema is to be demolished carries extra sadness.
Although closed since 2014, the building has only now had its fate sealed, with the Government finally deciding to convert the plot into MORE car parking spaces.
This latest attempt to encourage car use on Gibraltar’s already congested roads will leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many.
After losing the cinema, the Rock’s residents could have been granted a new cultural hub had the cinema been turned into a theatre, as was proposed.
But the John Mackintosh Hall has been chosen for the site of a new theatre, confirming the Queen’s Cinema’s ultimate demise.
With one less cultural venue in Gibraltar, going forward let us pause and consider how lucky we really are.
