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Odeon Cinema, North End
| Odeon Cinema, North End | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Cinema |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | Portsmouth, England |
| Coordinates | 50°48′57.8″N 1°04′43.6″W / 50.816056°N 1.078778°W |
| Opened | December 1936 |
| Closed | January 2008 |
| Owner | Oscar Deutsch |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Andrew Mather |
The Odeon Cinema, North End (originally known as the Odeon Theatre) is a former Odeon Cinema located on London Road, Portsmouth, England.
The cinema opened on 14 December 1936 and closed on 10 January 2008.[1]
Since closure the foyer has been turned into numerous shops. In 2008 it was an OJ’s Discount store. In 2013, it was converted into a Sainsbury’s Local supermarket that closed in October 2019.[2] As of 2021, the foyer is a Minutka Delikatesy Polish shop.
Cinema
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The Odeon, North End was an original Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres that opened in 1936.[1] In the year it opened, it was the largest and most expensive Odeon built. The cinema opened with a showing of the British comedy crime film, starring Sydney Howard, Chick.[1]
The cinema was designed by architect Andrew Mather and features Art Deco interiors, ornate decorations and a distinguished monolithic tower facade. A single-screen cinema, the total auditorium seating capacity was 1,824 (with 1,224 in stalls and 600 in balcony).
Renovations
In 1960, it was closed for two-weeks for modernization and the installation of 70mm projectors with a wide screen. It is regarded the sixties saw the cinemas heyday with the introduction of roadshow presentations.
In 1973, the cinema was divided to become a triple-screen cinema. The former balcony became Screen 1 (with 573 seats) and two mini-screens (Screen 2 and 3 with 132 seats each) located in the rear stalls under the balcony.
In 1990, a fourth screen was added in the former front stalls area and a new screen was fitted in Screen 1.
Further refurbishments took place in the late nineties, with an additional seating capacity for Screen 1 (631), Screen 2 (229), Screen 3 (179) and Screen 4 (259).[1]
Closure
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 The monolithic tower and former entrance in 2021 |
The cinema closed in 2008. Of the 29 cinemas in Portsmouth before World War II, the Odeon, North End was one of the last picture palaces to close in the city after 72 years in use.[3]
It shut shortly after the freehold on the building was sold by Odeon Theatres Ltd, due to competition with large screen multiplexes. The final feature took place on 10 January 2008 with the American post-apocalyptic action thriller film I Am Legend.[4]
In 2017, a multimillion-pound plan was announced to redevelop the cinema to make way for new housing. However, in the same year, the planning application was withdrawn to further develop the scheme.[5]
Since the closure of the cinema, the foyer in the entrance has been used as several shops.[2] The four auditoriums remain disused.
External links
References
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1936 Category:Buildings and structures in Portsmouth Category:Odeon Cinemas Category:Former cinemas in England
- ^ a b c d "Odeon Portsmouth in Portsmouth, GB - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Fears about the future of North End after Sainsbury's announces Portsmouth store closure". www.portsmouth.co.uk. Portsmouth News. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ James, Robert (24 August 2018). "Going to the cinema? The changing uses of Portsmouth's cinema buildings". University of Portsmouth's History Blog. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "Inside the abandoned Portsmouth cinema which has been empty for more than a decade". www.portsmouth.co.uk. Portsmouth News. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "Homes plan welcomed for former cinema in North End". www.portsmouth.co.uk. Portsmouth News. Retrieved 13 March 2022.