Odeon Cinema

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 9 December 2024 to amend the architect's name and text reformated to display correctly on NHLE.

SD 33 NW 44-/2/10001

BLACKPOOL DICKSON ROAD (east side) Odeon Cinema

II Cinema of 1938-9 by Arthur J Price and William Calder Robson of Harry Weedon and Partners for Oscar Deutsch and the Odeon group of companies. Steel frame clad in brick, with white and green faience to front and black faience to lower part of left side elevation. Roof not seen. Rectangular double-height plan with corner tower.

Auditorium originally for 1,800 seats in stalls and single circle, with foyers on both levels; subdivided in 1975 to form two 200-seat mini-cinemas and projection box under circle. The main auditorium comprises the original circle, front stalls, proscenium, stage and surrounds.

Main facade a series of planes etched with narrow bands, centred on five lancets with metal casements under ODEON sign. Cornice band striped in green faience. Square corner tower set back to right side, also faience-clad, fluted at top under ODEON signs to each face. Original canopy over ground floor. Side elevation of banded brick and tile, stepped down to rear. Ground floor clad in black faience under original queue canopy running the full length of the facade and now a rare feature on a cinema.

Auditorium has stage but no fly tower. Proscenium with fluted, streamlined surround, flanked by decorative screens masking ventilation chambers. Ceiling with moulded cyma decoration ascends in six steps from the anteproscenium screen, incorporating two bands of decorative vents and service ducts to pairs of pendant lights. Rear projection box now disused. Original pendant wall-lights, six to either side. Dado panelling and veneered barriers, moulded circle front. Original doors with tiny viewing panes under chrome bars. The front of the stalls with original exit doors but now unseated. Circle foyer retains some original seating but has been repanelled and converted to a bar.

Included as a remarkably complete surviving Odeon cinema, with many original features now rare elsewhere.

Sources: Rosemary Clegg, Odeon, 1985. The Ideal Kinema, 22 June 1939

Listing NGR: SD3088536639