By Angus Young
CITY COUNCIL REPORTER

They were distinctive features on Hull's city centre skyline for almost a century. But the twin domes on the roof of the former Tower cinema were removed three years ago as part of the Anlaby Road venue's facelift.

Now, Hull City Council has launched legal action against the owners of the historic grade two-listed building. If successful, Northern European Leisure will be forced to reinstate the famous domes.The west Hull venue, opened in 1914, was one of the city's earliest and most luxurious cinemas.

In 2003, Northern European Leisure started a £1.5m facelift. It removed the domes, whose rotting wooden frames were close to collapse. In July last year, the firm unveiled a new name for the building, Vision, and a new interior that included a 25ft waterfall and more than 100 palm trees. However, the club closed in December - with the twin domes still missing.

Hull Civic Society welcomed the council's action against Northern European Leisure. Chairman Adam Fowler said: "The Tower is one of the city's finest early 20th-century buildings. There's a principle here about developers promising to do something and then not doing it." The Tower's Art Nouveau-style architecture, including the imposing domes of green and yellow mosaic interlaced with gold-enamelled glass, made it an instant favourite with audiences.

Although it closed as a cinema in 1978, the Tower continued as a nightclub until early 2001. After Northern European Leisure took over building, it blamed delays in repairs on sourcing hand-made mosaic tiles from Morocco. The firm said it was spending £100,000 to rebuild the domes. At the time, director Arthur Wilder told the Mail the council had insisted his firm replace the domes "like-for-like".

A city council spokesman said: "The domes were removed while the building was being repaired and have not been put back. "The council is taking action against their unauthorised removal with the intention of getting the owners to reinstate the domes to their previous appearance."

A reopening date for the venue has yet to be announced.

Northern European Leisure was unavailable for comment.

a.young@hdmp.co.uk