Odeon Cheltenham

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

Winchcombe Street

, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom GL52 2NE

(map)

Status:	Closed
Screens:	Multiplex (7 Screen)
Style:	Art Deco

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1128
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	William Edward Trent
Firm:	Unknown

Originally opened on 6th March 1933 as the Gaumont Palace Theatre it was a project of Gaumont/Albany Ward and PCT and had a seating capacity of 1,774. Additional facilities included a 100 seat cafe/ballroom. The facade has two relief sculptures by Newbury A. Trent, which depict dancing figures holding up strips of celluloid, capturing the 'spirit of romance of the film'. The safety curtain had a painted scene by artist Frank Barnes. The proscenium was 45 feet wide, the stage 22 feet deep and it was fully equipped for live shows. The Gaumont Palace Theatre was equipped with a Compton 3Manual/8Ranks organ.

In 1937 it became the Gaumont and was re-named Odeon from 16th December 1962. Divided into a triple screen cinema from 1973. It was later further sub-divided into seven screens, with the extra screens being formed out of the former cafe/ballroom in 1987, the front stalls and on the stage in 1989.

The cinema was closed 5th November 2006.

Contributed by Milly Anderson, Ken Roe

YOUR COMMENTS

The Odeon Cheltenham closed down permanently on 5th November 2006. Odeon management cited competition from the nearby Cineworld multiplex as the main cause.

As the building is, architecturally, a shadow of its former self and furthermore has been messily subdivided, it seems inevitable that the land will be sold off and the building destroyed.

posted by David Abbott on Nov 6, 2006 at 3:09am

A photograph of the Odeon Cheltenham in the mid-1960's:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/cheltenham.jpg

posted by KenRoe on Nov 7, 2006 at 2:33am

Website about the Cheltenham odeon: http://www.jmaxquest.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Cinemas/odeon.html

posted by jmq on Dec 13, 2006 at 7:18am

Here is a recent photo of the Odeon Cheltenham.

posted by Lost Memory on Dec 13, 2006 at 10:23am

In the light of JMQ's excellent website, I'm pleased to say I stand corrected: there seems to be much in the way of original features that could be preserved if the building were to be restored to its original state. Here's hoping...

posted by David Abbott on Dec 20, 2006 at 11:41pm

Another photo can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 11, 2008 at 5:44pm

depressing images here on 28 days later, the auditorium has been gutted, the ceiling gone except for the metal girders
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=39396

posted by woody on Sep 15, 2009 at 5:30am

The Gaumont Palace Theatre, photographed in 1933 soon after opening:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcinemaphotos/2502077712/

posted by KenRoe on Sep 15, 2009 at 7:48am

photos i took in 1988 when it still had a central ODEON sign which made sense of the two figures
exterior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/70182094/
close up
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/364916124/

posted by woody on Sep 15, 2009 at 2:23pm

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