In response to the local news that the Nelson Palace Theatre would be demolished and replaced by a car park, I submitted the following letter to the Chief Executive of Pendle Borough Council: "As a resident in Pendle, I would urge the Borough Council to not only defer but cancel their decision to demolish the Nelson Palace Theatre and Hippodrome and replace it with a car park.

"An Application for this cultural heritage building to be granted "Listed Status" is currently being considered by English Heritage.

"It would be sad to lose such a centrally based and interesting place of entertainment if it could be saved as a Listed Building.

"Founded as The Nelson Palace and Hippodrome Company and originally designed to seat 2000 people, the Palace has had a long and chequered career since it opened nearly a century ago on 13th December 1909.

"It was a Variety Theatre [old style Music Hall] until 1922 when it became a 'Super Cinema'. In the 1940s, it was used as a Repertory Theatre [home of Nelson's St. John's Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society];and, then laterally as a Bingo Hall [Palace Bingo].

The Theatres Trust considers that the Palace has similar architectural and historic merit, as the now Grade 2 Listed Burnley Empire, since many of the original features are still in place. The English Heritage Culture and Entertainment Buildings Selection Guide produced by the Heritage Protection Department in March 2007 advises that: "The main criteria will be architectural quality, decoration, functional planning, intactness and date...The quality of foyers and boxes and the survival of an organ or original acoustic features are the primary considerations, the latter may once have been innovatory and important but are highly vulnerable to change."

"It would seem to me, therefore, that the Palace Theatre fulfils the necessary criteria to be granted listed [protected] status."

It would be tragic if the Council proceeded to demolish the Palace so that it can build another unsightly car park, especially before we know the result of the Application to English Heritage. We don't want a repeat of instances where demolition has taken place just before a Preservation Order would have come in force, as was the case with the Foulridge Rail Viaduct over the Canal in 1996.

I hope the Council will avoid the "corporate vandalism" of 1930s and 1960s and retain this historic building as part of our local heritage.