The Point in Milton Keynes: Battle to Save Britain’s First Multiplex Cinema
A landmark of 1980s British cinema is facing demolition, sparking a fierce debate over heritage, development, and the evolving landscape of entertainment. The Point in Milton Keynes, the UK’s first US-style multiplex, is at the center of a dispute between preservationists and developers, with its fate hanging in the balance.
Forty years ago, the opening of The Point fundamentally altered the British cinema experience. Looming over Midsummer Boulevard, the building’s mirrored glass ziggurat and red pyramidal frame were a bold statement – an audacious synthesis of Maya and Egyptian motifs designed as a “futuristic, hi-tech temple of pleasure.” The complex boasted 10 screens, with initial screenings including Back to the Future, The Goonies, and My Beautiful Laundrette, alongside bars, restaurants, a nightclub, and, remarkably for the time, cup holders on seats.
Today, the once-vibrant cinema stands largely empty, its future threatened by plans for a new housing scheme. The Twentieth Century Society argues that “The Point is the most historically important cinema built in Britain since the golden age of the 1930s and its pyramid is the indisputable landmark of Milton Keynes.” The organization points to the scarcity of listed postwar cinemas in Britain – only one currently holds protected status, the Curzon in London’s Mayfair – and advocates for a change in policy.
The rise of The Point occurred during a period of significant decline for British cinemas. By the mid-1980s, the number of cinemas nationwide had plummeted from approximately 4,800 at the start of World War II to just 660 in 1984. Milton Keynes, envisioned as a bold new town, was deemed the ideal location for an ambitious experiment spearheaded by the US AMC cinema chain. Architects BDP and Neil Tibbalds were tasked with creating a showstopper, resulting in a building described as an “exuberant mashup of funfair and temple.”
The Point represented a radical departure from the traditional cinema experience. Previously, cinemas were often relegated to high streets, frequently rundown and unappealing. The Point brought them into the open, reimagining them as a thrilling entertainment destination. It proved to be a resounding success, attracting over a million visitors in its first year and catalyzing the proliferation of multiplexes across the UK – by 1991, 41 multiplexes contained a quarter of all the UK’s cinema screens.
However, the complex’s fortunes began to wane around 2000 with the arrival of the Xscape leisure complex in Milton Keynes. Featuring a 16-screen cinema, indoor ski slope, shops, restaurants, and a casino, Xscape effectively “out-Pointed” its rival. The Point subsequently struggled with multiple changes in ownership and operators, ultimately closing its cinemas for good in February 2015.
In the years since, the building has served as a temporary home for local youth charities, while community-led campaigns have sought to preserve it through petitions and crowdfunding initiatives. A brief revival came with the introduction of bingo, but the Covid-19 pandemic proved insurmountable, leading to the building’s complete closure in 2020.
Now, Galliard Homes has acquired the site and intends to demolish The Point to make way for new housing. An initial £150 million proposal was unanimously rejected by Milton Keynes city councillors in July 2024, but the developer successfully appealed the decision and has since received approval to construct a 21-story apartment block containing 487 flats.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from local officials. Peter Marland, Labour leader of the council, stated the decision demonstrated a “complete disregard for the unique heritage of the city,” describing the proposed scheme as “terrible in almost every single way” due to its lack of affordable housing, “bad design,” and “identikit flats.” He further emphasized the cultural significance of The Point, asserting that “The Point is just as important for the people of Milton Keynes as the Liver Building is to the people of Liverpool or St Paul’s is to Londoners. Just because it’s newer doesn’t mean it’s any less important.”
Milton Keynes council is currently seeking legal counsel to challenge the planning appeal, while Historic England is evaluating whether The Point meets the criteria for listing, which would offer a degree of protection. Currently, the building is protected by a Certificate of Immunity, preventing listing, but this protection expires next year.
Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, acknowledged the building’s derelict state but warned that demolition would represent “a considerable loss to our local heritage assets,” adding that it “holds a special place in our new town story, and in the memories of those who moved to Milton Keynes in the early years.”
The future of The Point remains uncertain. While its ultimate use remains unclear, as Marty McFly famously said 40 years ago, “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”
