Former cinema revamp could cost Gosport taxpayers millions

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Councillors are set to make a decision on the future of a dilapidated former cinema and bingo hall that could “cost Gosport residents millions of pounds” – but little detail has been released to the public.

Members of Gosport Borough Council’s policy and organisation board will meet on Monday, September 30, where one of the items on the agenda is labelled “Criterion final report”. Unlike other subjects to be discussed, including a revised corporate health and safety policy, no public report has been published online.

The Criterion Cinema eventually became Crown Bingo - until that closed in 2020The Criterion Cinema eventually became Crown Bingo - until that closed in 2020
The Criterion Cinema eventually became Crown Bingo - until that closed in 2020

The local authority has said the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. It said “information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person, including the authority holding that information“ means “the public should be excluded from the meeting”.

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Other items at the meeting have a publicly accessible report, which details background information and the recommendations the board should note.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service, which reports on politics stories on behalf of The News, asked the borough council why no report was available on the Criterion, and has not received a response. Information relating to the item and the report should be made available after a decision has been made on the subject.

However, opposition Conservative group leader Councillor Stephen Philpott (Peel Common) said he was not allowed to reveal what is in the report but it “has the potential to cost Gosport council taxpayers millions of pounds”.

He warned it carried “multiple and severe financial risk to the council for years to come”.

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The Criterion cinema, Forton Road, GosportThe Criterion cinema, Forton Road, Gosport
The Criterion cinema, Forton Road, Gosport

Cllr Philpott added: “The ruling Liberal Democrats on Gosport Borough Council are continually boasting about their “openness and transparency”, yet time and again big decisions are being made with the exclusion of the press and public.”

He also said there was nothing in the report that justifies secrecy, adding: “The public has a right to know how their money is being spent.”

The 1912 former cinema and bingo hall in Forton Road was bought by the council two years ago for £600,000 when the previous owner had himself bought The Criterion only six months earlier for just £400,000.

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