Sheffield’s Abbeydale Picture House closes as arts charity CADS claim it was evicted

The Creative Arts Development Space (CADS) claim it was unexpectedly evicted from the Abbeydale Picture House.

The Picture House in Nether Edge, had been run by the CADS charity, but upon arrival at the building, staff say the charity was devastated to find it had been evicted.

CADS took on the lease for the Abbeydale Picture House in January 2017, and had planned to restore the historic building back into full use.

The eviction follows an ongoing dispute with the building’s landlord around repairs to the roof of the main auditorium, which has been closed since December 2021, and has occurred despite ongoing negotiations disrupting the work of CADS.

Steve Rimmer, a spokesperson for CADS said: “Our goal for the Picture House was to restore this Grade II listed building to its former glory and ensure it was an asset to Sheffield community.”

“Although we’re incredibly pleased with all that has been achieved at the Picture House so far, there’s still huge amounts of work needed to make this building safe and usable for the future.”

Mr Rimmer added that the closure of the auditorium due to water damage had caused a loss of income of more than £80,000. “Fundamental work on the roof was still needed and this has become a bone of contention with the landlord,” Mr Rimmer continued.

The Abbeydale Picture House was purchased by Phil Robins in 2012, who pledged to transform the iconic cinema venue to its full potential. We have tried contacting Mr Robins for comment but are yet to receive anything.

The CADS team say they are committed to the Abbeydale Picture House and are legally challenging the eviction which they believe is unjust.

The Leadmill are currently in a similar position, as their management team were recently handed an eviction notice telling them to leave the premises in one year.

People have been discussing these recent events on Twitter, with one user saying: “Landlords are ruining Sheffield.”

While CADS is still hopeful that an amicable settlement can be reached, the immediate closure of this beloved venue is likely to have a major impact on Sheffield and its arts industry, affecting hospitality and the night time economy, too.

The team are inviting the public to share their experiences of the Picture House and help them in their quest to save the building.

The Landlord has been contacted for comment.

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