A WARM welcome to Tim Schoonmaker, who has become chief executive of the Odeon group.

The cinema, he says, "gives many people their most powerful media experience". It is in his gift to ensure York people continue to enjoy that experience for many years at the Blossom Street Odeon.

Given his background in publishing group Emap, we would expect Mr Schoonmaker to grasp the strength and sincerity of the Evening Press Save The Odeon campaign. By talking to us, he would begin to atone for the disgraceful snub delivered to our readers when previous Odeon bosses refused to accept our 14,000-signature petition.

Updated: 10:44 Friday, May 21, 2004