Newport City Live Arena
Clarence Place,
Newport,
NP19 7AB
Clarence Place,
Newport,
NP19 7AB
2 people
favorited this theater
The Newport Odeon Theatre was opened on the 12th of March 1938 with Nova Pilbeam in “Young and Innocent”. It was designed by architect Harry Weedon and the job architect was Arthur J. Price, built in classic Art Deco style for the Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres Ltd.
It remained the Odeon until its sad closure on 30th May 1981 with Elliott Gould in “The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark”. It was empty for 21 years, apart from a period when the ground floor was used as a snooker hall from 1986 to 1991. For a short while it became Capone’s American Bar nightclub. However the building miraculously escaped demolition.
In 2003, the former cinema was restored as a music venue keeping many of the surviving original features. Re-named Newport City Live Arena, it is one of only two buildings in Newport that have an Art Deco style, the other being the Maindee Baths.
In early-2008, it was reported that the building was in use as the Newport City Church, but they had moved out by February 2009, and the building again stood unused. In early-2010, it had been taken over by Chris Plaister (a member of the Cinema Theatre Association) and was being developed into a museum of cinema and television equipment history.
The former Odeon Theatre is a Grade II Listed building.
Contributed by
Martin Trainer
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
This is a new link to the Odeon photo posted on Sep 11, 2005.
A 2008 photo can be seen here.
the “Newport City Church” has now vacated the building. Probably due to high running costs and an ever increasing list of repairs that needed doing.
martin
Please visit my website www.walesvintagecinemas.com
Martin
the exterior of the old Odeon in Newport is still looks in remarkably good condition. all of the original tiles are still in place. It also still has its original canopy .the roof was leaking last time i was in there primarily in the derelict projection room and I think this would be quite expensive to rectify.
I love this old cinema. As I have said before its a miracle its still standing as it hasnt been used as a cinema since 1981, which will be 30 years next year.
This cinema operated as a one screen cinema until its decline in the late 70s, as the auditorium was never sub divided.
martin
cinemad’s link didn’t work when I tried it.
Having visited Chris Plaister’s exhibitions in Swansea and Newport etc, his venture in the former Odeon Newport deserves every kind of support and encouragement from users of cinematreasures.
I can only agree with you in what Chris has done with the former Odeon in Newport to establish a permanent home for his cinema memerabilla and projection equipment. The building itself is a classic art-decor Odeon design of the mid 1930s the exterior totally unchanged and now thankfully listed as a classic example of Odeon cinema design, He does indeed need the support and encouragement of every user of cinematreasures to maintain this building and improve it as a living museum of film and projection equipment.
I do find it quite strange that Chris Plaister hasnt posted anything on here himself regarding his project in the former Odeon you would think it an ideal place to advertise for voluonteers. this site is 100% patronised by cinema enthusiasts. If he hasnt told anyone how can he expect anyone to help.
the web address above is wrong my website is www.walesvintage cinema.com its a work in progress and I am hoping to add to it on a regular basis.
martin
Two photos of the Odeon in 1989 here:–
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/1151539772/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/1151539276/