The Odeon Theatre

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.

SK 5904 718/8/10084

LEICESTER QUEEN STREET (north side) The Odeon Theatre

II Includes: The Odeon Theatre, RUTLAND STREET Cinema. 1936-38, converted 1974. Designed by Robert Bullivant of Harry Weedon and Partners for Oscar Deutsch and the Odeon group of companies. Steel and reinforced concrete with brown brick and faience tiling and flat roofs.

EXTERIOR: main entrance at south-west curved corner with three steps up to five sets of late C20 double doors with projecting modern illuminated sign. Flanked by curved white tile projections with black tile band above. Above centre, four white faience tile buttresses with curved tops divide the five tall windows each with twenty five panes. Flanking curved brick tower to left has horizontal banding and continuous vertical banding across the whole facade. Above set back curved parapet with horizontal banding and ODEON in large red letters. West front to Rutland Street has black faience tile ground floor with six brick panels and long brick panel to left corner. Above white tiling with strip of two triple windows to right with brick surrounds. At curved left corner a further sign with ODEON in large red letters. Facade topped with horizontal brick banding. North, Southampton Street facade has banded brick ground floor with five sets of doors and two small windows, above blank brick walls with plain pilaster strips and banded top. South, Queen Street facade has similar brick decoration.

INTERIOR: circular foyer survives with some original vertical strips. Original staircase survives with fitted seating in foyer to circle and inner foyer with curved ends and curved coving. Former circular bar re-fitted c1974. Former auditorium now divided at balcony level. Former stalls retain much of original plaster decoration on walls of present outer corridors. Former circle retains seating, layout and ceiling decoration.

HISTORY: this cinema was opened on 28th July 1938 with a screening of 'A Slight Case of Murder'. The seating capacity was 2,182, with 1,307 in the stalls and 875 in the circle. The cinema was divided into 3 smaller cinemas in 1974.

Listing NGR: SK5920104536