THE fed-up owner of a bombed out cinema in Hull is putting up the historic site for auction, denting hopes of turning it into a memorial.
Saleem Hakim, of SNS Properties, says the site of the former National Picture Theatre in Beverley Road will be sold this month.
The site is listed for auction in Leeds on Thursday, May 22, but Mr Hakim believes he could even sell the site before the auction begins after revealing he has already had three offers and two further expressions of interest.
There is a guide price of £30,000, which relates only to the ruins themselves.
Mr Hakim has submitted an application to use the land behind the ruins for a timber yard, while work has already begun on the Swan Inn next door, which will be converted it into a restaurant and an upstairs flat.
The garden area is being retained for use when The Swan development is complete.
Mr Hakim said: "I have had enough now and just want to sell.
"With the council's stance, we are not in a position to do anything with the site. It has been trying everything to stop the property from going to auction.
"The guide price is always quite low and I've already had offers around £55,000.
"There is a lot of interest with the UK City of Culture 2017 approaching and this is attracting investors.
"I am hoping to do a deal before the auction even takes place."
Campaigners from the National Civilian World War Two Trust want to turn the site into a Blitz memorial and Hull City Council had indicated it would buy the site, by compulsory purchase order if necessary.
Mr Hakim said he offered to sell the site to the council for £200,000 on March 14, but did not receive a response.
But at a recent planning meeting, councillors decided to hold off until the application for the timber yard had been dealt with.
The process involved in dealing with the application could take at least six months if the timber yard scheme is refused and Mr Hakim decides to appeal.
Mr Hakim said: "The council can't stop me selling it and, if they continue down the CPO line, they will have to buy it at market value, which could be considerably more than I offered to sell it at."
The trust had hoped quicker progress could be made after the council's cabinet recently agreed to the principle of funding any compulsory purchase move by the planning committee.
It wants to turn the site into a war memorial and an education centre telling the story of Hull's civilian casualties during the Second World War.
Trust spokesman Alan Canvess admits this latest development is a huge blow.
He said: "With the owner selling or leasing the site in sections it makes it very difficult for us to fulfil our project.
"Even if we could get the money together, buying just the ruins isn't commercially viable.
"I don't really understand who would be interested in just the ruins as you would need to spend £100,000 just to get them in order.
"It looks like we are getting further and further from our goal.
"The council has been looking to buy it and we are still awaiting that."
Air raid reduced much of cinema to rubble
The National Picture Theatre took a direct hit during a raid in March 1941, which reduced much of the building to a pile of rubble. All that remained was its façade, which still stands.
In 2007, it was awarded listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport after a campaign by the National Civilian World War Two Memorial Trust.
It is believed to be the last surviving example of a civilian building damaged in the Blitz.
When the bomb hit, 150 people were at the theatre, but, luckily, no one was seriously hurt.
If the National Civilian World War Two Memorial Trust manages to buy the site, it will need to spend £500,000 or more to preserve it and make it into a memorial. The plans include creating an educational and visitor centre.
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