Odeon Glasgow

56 Renfield Street,
Glasgow, G2 1NF

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Opened on December 31st 1934, the Glasgow Paramount Theatre was one of the later cinemas built for the chain in Britain. The architects were Frank T. Verity and Samuel Beverly, who designed many of the Paramount Theatre’s in the UK.

Glasgow’s was freestanding, and occupied half a city block. The facade was built in white granite, with five two-storey finned windows curving around and above the corner entrance. At night, the entire building was outlined in neon.

The main foyer had an open staircase and upper foyer, which looked down onto the ground floor, and was home to a tea room and restaurant, situated under the tall corner windows. A further cafe was situated upstairs from the main restaurant.

The auditorium sat nearly 2,800 in the circle and stalls, and was originally green, copper and silver. The stage area was spacious, with a tall fly-tower, and around fifteen dressing rooms at the rear of the side elevation and under the stage. A Compton 4Manual/10Ranks organ rose from this understage area, and the console is currently (Jan 04) being housed in Summerlee Heritage Museum in nearby Coatbridge whilst a new home is found for it.

In 1939, the cinema, along with all other UK Paramounts, was sold to the Odeon circuit. Under this name, it continued successfully until 1970, with live shows augmenting the film presentations. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles both played there.

In 1970, the cinema was closed for a year and comprehensively remodelled. This involved stripping almost all of the Italianite interior out and creating 3 screens – one in the former balcony, one in the stalls (both seating around 1,100) and a smaller screen in the former stage area. This latter screen, seating 555, was formed over two levels, with a small circle, and had a seperate entrance to the rear of the building. The foyers were remodelled too, with the double height sections being floored over, and the staircase realigned. The cafes were walled off to become offices and staff areas, and a bar was placed in the top foyer, although the view from the corner windows was now blocked.

The exterior suffered then too, the corner windows and fins being hidden behind a giant, full height readograph, lit from behind, and with corrugated metal sheeting covering much of the granite around it.

In 1988, the screen in the stalls area was further subdivided into three screens, of around 220 seats each, and the smaller Screen 3 was split horizontally to give a total of six screens. Access to all screens was now from the main entrance. A further subdivision in 1999 saw the 1,100 seat Screen 1, in roughly the former circle, divided into four screens, bringing the total to nine. The current Screen 1, at 555 seats, is now the largest in the complex. This refurbishment also saw the bar being removed and, happily, the exterior restored to something like its former glory, with the removal of the readograph and the corrugated sheeting.

Sadly, only a few years later, the future seems uncertain, as Odeon sold the building in March 2003 to developers. On 29th March 1995, Historic Scotland afforded the building a degree of protection with a Grade B Listed building status, but this seems only to apply to the facade. It is listed in the Buildings At Risk Register.

The cinema closed on 7th January 2006, and plans call for the demolition of the interior to be replaced with shops, restaurants, and a nightclub. The facade is supposed to be restored to its 1934 appearance.

Contributed by Gary Painter

Recent comments (view all 16 comments)

Ian on February 21, 2007 at 9:34 am

Photo from 1993 here:–

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lostmemory on June 11, 2007 at 10:51 pm

Here is another recent photo of the former Odeon Glasgow.

garypainter on November 15, 2007 at 1:11 pm

A new scheme was passed by Glasgow City Council in November 2007 which involves demolition of the auditorium block, to be replaced by a 9-storey glass tower. The entrance block will apparently be restored to an approximation of its 1934 opening appearance.

Story and pics here:

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lostmemory on May 8, 2008 at 5:03 pm

This is a close-up view of the Odeon.

lostmemory on August 12, 2008 at 7:30 pm

Here is an August 2008 photo.

lostmemory on December 31, 2008 at 5:16 pm

These are new links to the seven photos posted on Dec 7, 2005 at 12:25am: