2p of 1 j Lang-tan Film club directors fined under new law Three directors of Emmanuelle’s Cinema Club High Street Leicester are believed to be the first people to be prosecuted under the new Cinematograph (Amendment) Act 1982 The Act affecting cinema clubs came into! f effect on October 13 The three men appeared before Leicester City Magistrates yesterday on charges of operating an exhibition without a licence They were David Brian Smith (48) of 19 Ellesmere Road Braunstone Leicester Niranjan Pandya (42) of 24 Dorset Street Belgrave Leicester and Leslie Owen ’ Jones (42) of Wiimslow Cheshire The three pleaded guilty to two charges each of being concerned in managing an exhibition without a licence ! Prosecuting Mr Darryl Stephenson told the court that under the new Act the local authority were required to notify the fire service before granting a licence Failure to comply with fire safety requirements would mean a licence would not be granted Emmanuelle’s Cinema Club's licence application was put to Leicester City Council in May he said but an inspection by Leicester shire Fire Service showed work needed to be done to maintain safety standards The work had still not been done by October 13 he said and after warnings by City Council inspectors police officers visited the club on October 15 and October 27 On the second visit film and video projection equip ment was seized and the club was closed Appearing for the defendants Mr Guy Rob son said when the dub was opened in 1979 £17 was spent on meeting fire salety regulations Jones the managing director of Regent Drive which ran the club knew the new Act w as impending Mr Robson said and so applied early for the licence The list of alterations needed was mislaid by Jones Mr Robson said and the problem was com pounded by Jones' domestic problems He contacted other cinema club managers and video suppliers and found other councils in Birming ham Stoke Manchester and Liverpool had taken no action to implement the Act Jones was fined £500 for the offence of October 15 and £750 for the October 27 charge and Pandya and Smith were each fined £400 for the first offence and £500 for the second No order for forfeiture was made for any of the equipment some of which is to be returned to a leasing company Costs of £180 were divided equally among the defendants Lord Mayor opens The Lord Mayor of Leicester Mr Bill Page opened a new community centre in Hazel Street in the city The centre uses part of Hazel Primary School which is empty because of falling pupil numbers Ex-cinema may be bingo hall Wigston's old Hit cinema which has stoxl empty for three years looks set to be turned into a bingo and social club Oadby and Wigston Borough Council’s planning committee decided last night to grant permission to Jarglen Ltd to change the use of the cinema in Blaby Road The council's planning officer Mr Michael VVxxis had recomrnendixl refusal of the plans because of park ing problems in Blaby Road but councillors felt that South Wigston needed recreational amenities “Many people have asked me to support this application because lik me they are fed up with seeing this building standing derelict with nothing being done to it said Mr Kenneth Chell Mr Roy Hughes said South Wigston people were deprived of social amenities The budding cost C36000 — threequarters of which were paid by special Innar City funds with the County Council paying the rest and also paying salaries Mr Page is a former pupil of the school
