Odeon Leeds

this closure should have never happened.odeon should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for closing a famous city centre landmark.the rather bland leeds/bradford odeon multiplex cannot replace an historic movie palace.

derek atkins (public relations officer mercia cinema society).

The interior demolition was completed in January 2004 - nothing now remains, other that the side offices and bare four walls of this once grand cine-theatre.

A developer / tenent is still being sought for the space.

The original seating capacity of the Paramount Theatre was 2,556.

The conversion of the cinema into a primark superstore is now almost complete. The interior was completly gutted and a totally new reinforced concrete structure has been built within the "skin" of the brick and stone facade, which they cleaned and preserved, however without the awning there is little to tell you that this was once a cinema. Another step down the road to high street anywhere for Leeds.

Primark are proabaly cursing themselves as the Allders department store opposite the theatre closed down shortly after building work started, they could have moved into this far more cheaply than effectively building a whole new store and destroying a Leeds landmark. Incidentally the chain that owns the new 13 screen multiplex that crushed the odeon merged with a larger chain recently - such consolidation is a sign that even the big multiplexs aren't having a easy time in the current climate.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/cavalcade/leedso.jpg

for an earlier 70's B/W picture

best

kev p

Here is another photo of Odeon Leeds.

And an interior shot of Odeon 1 - the largest screen after tripling :-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/241478198/

A sad shot of the auditorium area after demolition, as it was being converted into a shop - note the projection portholes high up - about the only point of reference left in the space :-(

http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/340783644/

I was the Chief Technician at the Odeon Leeds for its last 13 years. A sad day when it closed, especially since business was good and the screens packed. We closed not because of poor returns, we were one of the most profitable cinemas on the circuit, but simply because an offer was made for the site and the company took it. On hindsite, they admit to a major mistake, pulling out of the fastest growing city in the UK, where city centre apartments are booming, where they owned a massive site that was rent free and lease free. We still filled the thousand seats in screen one on a regular basis, in fact we used to count the EMPTY seats and if there was 400 we'd call the film a flop! Odeon 1 boasted 1000 seats, 48 foot screen and digital sound one engineer commented was superior to the Odeon Leicester Square - with the most powerful amps available and every channel bi-amped, something that isn't done now even in multiplexes due to the cost. We had first rate presentation, with 3 different coloured footlights on the tabs, and two pairs of pageants on the side walls, all with separate dimmers. I have great memories showing blockbuster movies to one packed house after the next, not to mention all of the world premieres we presented for the Leeds Film Festival. I have many pictures of the interior if anyone is interested.

I remember seeing Jurassic Park 3 in Screen 1 not long before closing. It was an great cinema and I agree that the sound system was pretty amazing.

Would love to see more interior pictures.....

To Odeon Leeds. Were there any reminents of the original interior left after the sub-division in 1969 when you worked there, I would love to see some pics of the interior. You could upload them to flickr.com.

A shot of Odeon 1 towards the rear of the cinema here (1986):-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/2135697886/

The year given for this photo is 1947.

Here is a circa 1971 photo.

This is a photo of the Primark store.

I miss the Odeon.

I worked there back in the blue blazer and red clip on bow tie days, I wasn't there for long but I loved it and made some good friends there. I remember exploring all the 'behind the scenes' areas of the building. That building was labyrinthian in parts and you could just about access anywhere from anywhere...I know that doesn't make sense but you could go through one door and end up somewhere you never expected to be, it was almost as if the building was alive and shifting. That sounds very strange to say and is probably getting your screen a few strange looks as you read this but it did seem that way and the exterior of the building didn't really give away much as to the scale of the place on the inside...(Tardisian?)

It was a landmark as people have said, when it was still there all places in Leeds were in relation to the Odeon. Before my time there I used to spend a lot of time there.

...and what do we have now? A Primark....marvellous.

BTW if you worked there around the time Independance Day was on release, drop me a line. Love to catch up.

The Odeon was indeed a great place to work. I worked there from 1990 to 1996. When I started it was the Grey/Candystripe uniform, we progressed to the hideous blue jackets, with the big red 'O' on the pocket and bow ties about 1993. I started working there on 19th December 1990, the films showing were 'Home Alone' 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' 'Little Mermaid' 'Repossessed' and 'Captain America'. The Manager at that time was Alan Thornton, who had been there since the opening of the Odeon 'Twins'in 1969. A true showman. He would argue every monday morning with the booking department about which film was going in which screen, he nearly always won, he knew his audience. He had many stories to tell of his long career in cinema. After his retirement, Phil Westhead became Manager followed by Helen Jordan. We had 4 Assistant Managers, Beryl Marshall and Doreen Lee who had both worked at the Odeon in the 60's prior to conversion. Margaret Walker and Paula Huddlestone were the other two. The place was a labyrinth. In those days we sold ice cream in the auditorium and the Fridge Room, where we stocked the trays up, was behind the screen of Odeon 1. To get down to Odeons 2,2 & 4 you had to carry your fully laden tray down a deep narrow stairwell at the back of the building. This was the stairwell to the old dressing rooms and there was still a couple of those at the very top of the building and the Stage Doorman's room at the bottom. There also 'The Workshop' which was in the old Grill Room and Kitchens of the restaurant above Odeon 5. This was where the Handyman did all his repairs and where all manner of stuff was stored, a real aladdins cave of movie memorabilia collected over the years. We had 5 projectionists, two Dave's, Chris, Paul and Peter. I worked in the Box Office, Kiosk, Bar, Tearing Tickets and seating, selling ice cream, clearing the cinemas after each show. We all did, generally speaking you worked where you were needed at any one time in the day. Working in a cinema is either something you love or hate, once you've seen a film (or parts of it) for the 20th time, the magic wears off a bit. Most staff came and went very quickly but some of us stayed for years and because of the long hours, saw more of each other than our families. I made many great friends during my time at the Odeon and still keep in touch with many of them, Val, Maureen, Carol, Eillen, Kath, Beryl, Paula, Richard, Les. We have a reunion every six months in Leeds and have a great time, usually laughing at the stuff we got up to and the things that happened in the course of a day. If anyone remembers any of our motley crew, get in touch.

I worked there when Les was working the Candy Bar and Maureen was box office. There was Also Derek, Kerry and the Management was Doreen and Paula and I think Carol.
I remember Peter the Projectionist too.

I was mainly FOH doing the old ticket tearing and in the screens, standing menacingly in the corner when kids were being a bit rowdy.