The man responsible for delivering the UK's first multiplex cinema has called for the legacy of The Point to be assured.
"The ideal thing would be to keep the building, but that is not realistic and I understand that,” Charles J. Wesoky, retired Managing Director of AMC, told MKFM.
The iconic entertainment hub has long been earmarked for development, and last month Galliard Holdings Ltd won an appeal to demolish the much-loved site, and build nearly 500 flats in its place.
But locals who have long fought to save the venue are up in arms at the important slice of new city history which will be lost, and Mr Wesoky agrees.
“It's not just a building, the ziggurat really was the first multiplex cinema purposely built, and it not only regenerated British cinema-going, but also regenerated cinema-going all throughout Europe and around the world, because people from other operators internationally came to see it, and went back to their places of business and started building their multiplexes,” he told us, “The rest is history.”
It is his wish that the top part of the ziggurat be utilised on the new building: “That would be great. It has historical value, and would be the ideal thing,” he said.
If that's not possible, then he is hopeful of 'some kind of heritage recognition, with a plaque and a history' to ensure the memory of The Point remains.
Mr Wesoky is based in New York, and responsible for 100s of cinemas around the world, but he has never forgotten his time working on The Point, and has followed its history, and subsequent decline, from afar.
“I saw a video of someone walking through The Point recently, and I felt like a ghost walking through an old house. It was really weird,” he said, “I try to detach myself from the fact that everything gets old and everything decays if you don't take care of it.
“I try to keep the memory of what it was, and not what it is currently.”
Councillor Pete Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes City Council said: “I understand the strong cultural significance of The Point as iconic to our city’s heritage to a whole generation of people from Milton Keynes, its wider importance to the growth of Milton Keynes and to the film industry.
"The council recognises that the current building is no longer fit for modern uses and we were willing to work with the landowner, as any plan to redevelop the site is important to maintain the success of the city centre that the original Point helped create.
"The council strongly felt that the cultural significance of The Point should be recognised in any new designs, which is why we made very strong representations that some of the original red metal pyramid structure should be retained as part of any new building. Unfortunately, the developer disagreed in their proposals.
"The council strongly felt the new designs failed to recognise The Point properly and did not meet our planning policies, and the council refused the scheme planning permission, which the developer appealed to the Planning Inspector.
Mr Marland added: “As part of our representations to the inspector we made a strong case around the heritage of the site and the need to retain some of the current building. Sadly, not only did the inspector grant planning permission, he also called the idea to retain part of the original building “tokenistic.” We feel this is a kick in the teeth for Milton Keynes and fails to understand the importance of The Point. However, it is therefore obvious that on that issue, the decision was clear.
"The council is still considering our options on the decision although, as I have previously said, even the Planning Inspector was highly sceptical that the current proposals will ever be built. We hope the landowner will reconsider the plans.
"However, if they do proceed I am sure the council would seek to find ways to properly recognise the significance of The Point in some way.”
