Odeon West End

Odeon West End
Odeon West End
Former names	Leicester Square Cinema
General information
Status	Closed
Architectural style	Art Deco
Coordinates
Opened	1930
Closed	1 January 2015
Owner	Edwardian Group
Other information
Seating capacity	500 (screen 1) 832 (screen 2)

The Odeon West End, from 1930 to 1988 known as Leicester Square Theatre, was a cinema on the south side of Leicester Square, London. It contained two screens—screen 1 seats 500 and screen 2 seats 832 [1]. It was often used for smaller film premieres, and hosted the annual BFI London Film Festival. The building is opposite the much larger flagship Odeon Leicester Square.

Odeon Cinemas sold the building to three Irish investors in 2006, though continued to lease it. In 2012 it was bought by the Radisson Edwardian hotel group and closed as a cinema on 1 January 2015, ahead of planned redevelopment as a luxury hotel.

History

The Odeon was built in 1930 as the Leicester Square Theatre, a name it largely remained with until 1988. The theatre was built as a cine-variety venue for Jack Buchanan - a penthouse apartment was housed on the roof for the star - and showcased both film and short variety performances, before going over to film on a more permanent basis. A large single screen was housed in an ornate, three-tiered auditorium.

It was sold to J. Arthur Rank in 1937 and became Rank's first cinema, although not named Odeon for many years to come.

The cinema was modernised in 1968 into a much blander shell, based around a remodelled stalls and single circle. In 1988 it was changed into a two-screen venue (Screen 1 in the former circle and Screen 2 in the stalls) and renamed Odeon West End.

Stephen Larcombe, Chief Technician, used to stay in Jack Buchanan's flat on the roof of the theatre during the London Film Festival to save having to go home every night.

The site was sold by Odeon Cinemas to three Irish investors in February 2006, though continued to operate as part of the Odeon chain. Ownership subsequently passed to the Irish National Asset Management Agency and in 2012 it was sold to the Radisson Edwardian hotel company.

In January 2014, Westminster City Council approved a plan by the Edwardian Group to demolish the building and replace it with an eight-storey 360 room hotel, that would also include a two-screen Odeon cinema in the basement.

See also

• Odeon Marble Arch – a former large cinema also located in London's West End

External links

• The Music Hall and Theatre History Website: Leicester Square Theatre