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Star & Shadow cinema faces axe

Oct 18 2009 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

A COMMUNITY cinema is facing the threat of closure after it was landed with an £8,000 electricity bill following the collapse of a failed art gallery business.

The Arts Works Gallery, at the top of Stepney Bank in Newcastle, was closed last month and the locks changed after the owne, Matt Forster, failed to pay rent.

But the Star & Shadow, an adjacent cinema which was sublet by Mr Forster, has now become embroiled in the situation after being landed with the whopping electricity bill, most of which they believe has been used by the Art Works.

When the Star & Shadow became a sub-tenant of Mr Forster, they paid rent to him which he was meant to pass on to the council.

From May, the council asked the Star & Shadow to begin paying its rent directly to them.

However, all the utilities – including electricity – were shared.

This means they have been told by energy firm EDF that they have to pay up, even though they claim they are only responsible for part of the bill.

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