“Chris- it's great to hear from someone so knowledgable about local heritage!
At a time when theatre in Derby is so threatened, it would be wonderful to have a restoration of this superb building. Quite frankly, ANY type of theatre would be welcome, but I love the idea of amateurs being able to stage productions here in the future. However, considering ALL subsidies were withdrawn by the old DCC and Arts Council, from our
regional professional theatre, the Playhouse- who knows what the future might hold.
I just hope to God that some sort of justice is done here, and that the authorities do not cave in at any point to what has clearly happened to this building.”

“Mo just does not get it does she!
The owner is in breach of a legal contract, that is as an owner of a listed building he is responsible for its upkeep.Mo mentions the owner using the law - he is NOT using the law he is using a legal loop-hole which allows him to delay - however if he loses his appeal, no matter what state the building is in, he will have to restore it. Note also that the owner is also facing an unlimited fine and possibly up to two years in prison for failing to maintain his contractual listed building requirements. His best option would be to re-build and get out whilst he still has any cash left in his bank.”

“Comments about this being a bingo hall and not a theatre need to be addressed here.

Many theatres were taken over and used an Bingo Halls, even the Gaumont (now Zanzibar) the Hippodrome has always had a stage, and an auditorium with baconies and circle etc.- it was a theatre in all but name and still can be a theatre. Some of the ignorant posters who support demolition should take note of The Buxton Opera House, once in line for demolition due to a misled belief that theatre had had its day, the Hackney Empire in London was partially demolished but the owner was forced to rebuild, this is now a major theatre and was used recently for the Britain's Got Talent TV show .
Bingo is facing the fate that once faced Theatre and is now more popular an an on-line or television based activity, almost in the same way that Supermarket sold beer for home consumption is destroying our pub culture.
Television is faced with overload and lack of choice, quiz shows abound and shopping channels threaten the high street shops but the desire for live entertainment is on the rise - theatres are making a huge come-back. Derby is currently the ONLY city without an old theatre in use, demolishing the Hippodrome with be a retrograde step for Derby so we need to move on and get the building restored ASAP so that we can compete with other cities on the entertainment front.
The traders around Macklin Street and the "Lanes" will benefit from an open and live theatre. Duckworth Square has not been developed yet so if the Hippodrome was demolished we could be looking at 20 years of derelict scrub land like Duckworth Square or the land at the top of Normanton Road!”

“I have to agree with everything Chris has said. People who think that the only things worth preserving are stately homes don't understand what heritage is.
This is an historically important building and could also be a fantastic resource for the people of Derby and its environs. I'm far more interested in the places my ancestors would have visited than I am in seeing the ostentatious excesses of a previous generation of plutocrats.”

“This petition could not have come at a better time for the owner; I wonder why Mr. Saunders has not started a petition for Duckworth Square? This has been derelict for about 5 years now and is across the road from Mr¿ Saunders¿ property, yet not a peep out of him on this.
I live next door to a derelict building myself and no rodents are present simply due to the lack of food, the Hippodrome provides no comfort for rodents so I do not believe his claims ¿ let the Council prove him wrong.

As to getting signatures, if the petition is based upon Mr. Saunders¿ claims, which have ignored all of the facts, I am not surprised people are signing it. As to the claim that it speaks volumes about the on-line petition not gaining many signatures, it is easy to accost people in the street and get them to sign something, on line petitions are hard to find - I have seen it take years to gain on line support for a hospital.

This is not about dreamers or political correctness as Mr. Saunders claims; it is about upholding the law of the land and protecting our listed heritage.

The Secretary of State recommends action against developers who flaunt the listed building laws and support legal action to make an example of anyone who breaches a listed building contract

Congratulations to Mr. Bronson on your self appointment to Listed Building and heritage specialist, you seem to know more about this than English Heritage, the Civic Society and the Theatres Trust all rolled into one organisation. I agree with Joanne, in many ways this can be compared with Chatsworth or any other listed building, however we must look closer to home, say the Art College on Green Lane ¿ this is Grade II* listed and is of National importance.

Anyway with the on-line petition being difficult to locate and the need for internet access I think it is time for an on the street petition to save the Hippodrome and to oppose the demolition. The support is there as has been proved on more occasions than I can recall.”

“We must save this building!!! The hippodrome looks much much worse than it actually is.”

“I see your view Joanne, but Chatsworth and Elvaston Castle are hardly a comparison to 90 year Theatre come Bingo Hall. Yes, what the developer has done is wrong and I'm sure he will be prosecuted accordingly. But hanging onto the recent past of a not so illustrious building seems a waste of time. I think the correct use of the land is more important than the pile of bricks that currently reside on the site. Lets put more effort into what we think the land should be used for. Anything for the arts and culture in Derby is great, but the current building has long since seen its day, even before the recent incident.”

“Gosh- I'm still having to be very careful how to word these comments!
What can I say?!
Please, let's not cave in!!!
Derby's heritage buildings are
its history!
I cannot see these actions being tolerated in any other major city, so why should Derby be seen as "rich pickings"?!
There's plenty of money spent elsewhere in the name of "regeneration"- so why not restoration of the Hippo?
But the sooner the better.”

“No way Mr Bronson!
My definition of "moving on" is not caving in to people who destroy buildings of their own accord!
I think moving forward would involve following through prosecution as deemed necessary by the courts, and restoring/ rebuilding as soon as possible.
At the very least, there should be further protective measures
whilst this legal battle is going on.
How would one react is someone knocked down a wall of Chatsworth House or Elvaston Castle? There would be a public outcry, and hopefully the correct action taken. I note there was no "apathy" when millions were being spent elsewhere on projects in Derby and the East Midlands.
We do not want Derby to become easy pickings for "rogues."....”

“Knock it down and lets move on.”