Odeon West End
40 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7LP
40 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7LP
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Showing 51 - 75 of 103 comments
Photograph attached 18 Jan 2015. Opening of the ‘new-style’ Leic.Sq.Theatre 12.12.1968 From my personal collection.
A night time photo taken during the last weeks of operation here:–
ODEON WEST END
Looking through the “Decision Notice” in the previously linked planning documents, Condition 6 of the Planning Permission states that “the hotel use… must not begin until the cinema has been provided with services and made ready for fit out by the relevant tenant and evidence has been submitted to and approved by the Council…”
I have fond memories of seeing movies in Screen 2. But let’s be fair, the cinema—with its asbestos and crumbling-ceiling laden void areas—not to mention the rest of the block—is long overdue for an overhaul.
In my view, however, this scheme is a missed opportunity, as the two screens are almost the minimum option, being tucked away in less than one half of Basement Level 2. If only slightly more space had been allocated! Granted, services and structural considerations may render that impossible.
One might anticipate that Odeon will install a 50ft. wide screen in the larger auditorium and brand it an “iSense” screen…
Disgraceful! More history gone. Bet the proposed basement cinemas never eventuate.
Odeon West End is due to close in January to be demolished.
Details of the planning permission are up on Westminster Council’s site via the above linked page. More than £5m of contributions, for Crossrail, “public realm,” affordable housing, etc. are required per the S106 agreement!
The planning permission news has again triggered a spate of articles where the headline declares that the “Leicester Square Odeon” will be demolished to make way for a hotel!
The Wurlitzer was of course a 2/10 and on perusing the photos on Flickr it appears that the organ chamber shutters are still in place.Very odd when the organ is up and playing at Cotton in Suffolk.
A new planning application, for the redevelopment of the entire block, has been submitted:
Westminster Council Planning Application Documents
The proposed replacement cinema still has 2 screens, now with 407 and 139 seats. (Plans are given in the above documents in “Proposed Level B2” and “B2 Mezzanine.”)
Exterior views of both the previous and the (in my opinion better looking) new proposal are in the document titled “130729 FINAL SCI – ODEON.” (e.g. p19, p21.)
The 1968 modernisation did not actually remove the French Renaissance style decor but “inserted” a modern auditorium into the original shell. The balcony was indeed removed and the new proscenium was situated on the old stage. This situation remains with the “new” cinema simply twinned. Much original decor can still be seen in “mirth and mayhem’s” photostream on Flickr.
Still operating at the end of 2012 :–
ODEON WEST END
Showing THE MASTER in 70mm (commenced November 2, 2012)
Two interior photos from 2008 :–
SCREEN 1 – FORMER BALCONY
UPPER FOYER
70mm returns to the Odeon West End on Friday, as Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master plays exclusively between 2nd November and 15th November 2012. It opens in the 814 seat screen 2 – the former stalls. According to the Odeon web site it is the only cinema in the UK to be screening it in 70mm.
Have the redevelopment plans been abandoned? I see that it’s still operating in 2012.
Here’s another, from 1990 this time.
I’ve uploaded a photo i took in 1992, please click on photos.
A vintage 1987 shot of the Leicester Square Theatre before rebranding view link
Vintage photographs of the Leicester Square Theatre, and its Wurlitzer organ console:
http://www.ukwurlitzer.co.cc/1525.html
recent photos of screen 2 on the night of The Kid premiere, still a great place to watch a film
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/5039741747/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/5039737655/
some of the groovy 70’s signage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/5039739561/
Renderings of proposed replacement building:
View link
Still operating in February 2010:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4364915440/
some photos i took on the red carpet on October 22nd 2009 for the world premiere of Dead Man Running attended by 50 Cent, Danny Dyer, Brenda Blethyn, Mel B, Jamelia, Chipmunk etc
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4038574960/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4038579550/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4037829165/
Thought you might like to see my newly updated page on the Leicester Square Theatre with many photographs of the remaining fragments of the original auditorium taken by me in July 2009.
The Odeon West End is now booking to March 2010 so the demolition will most likely take place shortly after that.
View link
View link
Assume that this is the last year for the London Film Festival screenings here…Coming down to Leicester Square is increasingly a stressful experience…as if they opened a tip of humanity local and tourist to crowd too small and not that attractive a space…a visit to Paris and some rigorous zoning at the risk of knocking out some small merchants is required by Westminster Council…