Odeon Cinema

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 6 December 2024 to amend the architect's name and text reformated to display correctly on NHLE.

SE 3055 SE 16/184

EAST PARADE (east side) Odeon Cinema

II Cinema. 1936. By William Calder Robson (after J Cecil Clavering) of Harry Weedon and Partners for Oscar Deutsch and the Odeon group of companies. Brown brick and faience, roof not visible. Notionally two storeys and attic with tower set between. 1:5-bay facade and rounded corner entrance; deep plan of 4:3:1 bays. In the Modern Movement style of the circuit. Corner entrance on right has four renewed double doors in quadrant beneath canopy and green-banded faience wall. The entrance sits in front of a round-ended wing which projects to right and has strip window to right end and word 'ODEON' in illuminated letters beneath parapet having green band. To left of entrance is the brick tower which sandwiches a tall faience fin having 'CINEMA' in red letters on each side. Facade to left of tower has exit on left of five tall strip windows which rise from black faience plinth; above each is a small rectangular window and green-banded parapet with horizontal slit windows. End bay to left is of brick with door in faience surround under two square windows. Right return:, brick, with piers between bays and brick-banded parapet wall; 3:1 bays step down on right.

Interior: lobby has stair rising between tall rounded piers; coffered ceiling. Auditorium altered, having later screen set in front of the original so as to conceal finned side-wall panels and the coved and rounded screen side-piers. Built to seat 1,647 as a copy of the Sutton Coldfield Odeon. Attached shops to front left are not of special interest.

Listing NGR: SE3054855256