My thoughts entirely. It has never been a pleasant option to lose an old building but it is difficult to see what the Odeon could be used for.I don't undervalue people's happy memories of the Odeon but, at its demise, it was a musty, uncomfortable, badly-converted cinema, unable to compete with the Warner mutiplex for comfort or the Tyneside for atmosphere, and long overdue for replacement.

Here in Ashington, a number of old buildings have been lost - the Central Hall, the Regal Cinema, the old "North" schools - and in every instance there was much pious writing to the press about "Civic Vandalism" and "Loss of Heritage" without any attempt to address the very formidable "on costs" of converting and maintaining old and outmoded structures. The French, for example, are willing to stand the cost of such restoration. It's not in our business culture to do so: sorry, but we're better at whinging about our lost icons than putting our hands in our pockets to do something about it.

The ongoing saga of the Tyne Theatre which - let's face it - has never really found a viable and sustainable role should be a warning to all. The Capital of Culture bid would not be helped by a derelict site smack bang in the heart of the city centre.