It’s basically a video wall along a curved corridor that “snakes” around under the booth/rear of the seating, connecting to the vomitory into the auditorium.
Some ISENSE auditoria feature a similar entrance, albeit with “environmental” mood setting content rather than fast moving trailers.
Obviously, this is straightforward enough with a typical multiplex layout, but the OLS has 4 entrances to the auditorium (1 stalls, 3 circle level.) Incorporating it at stalls level would be at the expense of the added facilities in the the space that was formerly part of the rear stalls. It also clearly is not the design direction that Odeon have chosen for the refurbishment. (Else the black marble wall finishes in the circle, for instance, could have been LED display module screens instead!)
A bit of “cropping” should not be a problem, or is even desirable.
I’ve seen some “scope” films having with slight black “bars” to the left/right edges on some shots and not others, which is extremely irritating.
In the old CRT days, TVs invariably “overscanned” the image, with the edges cropped. TVs today still have an (anachronistically named!) “overscan” option setting, and sometimes it’s factory set to “ON.”
Anything that needs to be seen does not belong in the very edges of the frame. (This, of course, gets complicated by the existence of the IMAX-exclusive versions of films having scenes in 1.43 or 1.9:1 ratios, whilst the standard theatrical release is cropped to scope, but that’s another story…)
In any case, how did you find the picture/sound quality?
Comparing photos of the auditorium as it is to the renderings, it seems that not only are the flying ladies not in, but the white light strip forming a sort of “dado rail” in the stalls is not visible, nor the the concealed lighting behind the flying ladies, nor the curved strip of lighting above the/ahead of the flying ladies.
Odeon have posted some high resolution photos on Twitter.
There are clear signs of unfinished work and/or “snags” that need to be remedied, with quite a bit of wiring looking like it needs tidying up. (No, I’m not placing any bets on whether tabs are to be added!)
The wood panelling looks fantastic, as does the rear stalls ceiling, under the circle. The latter appears to be the “Acoustic Wood by Eomac” Grill product.
This installation looks quite unsightly, and more so since, curiously, the grilles have not been attached. (They appear to screw on, so, no, the reason presumably is not because they would at risk of falling off!)
The proscenium end does look disappointing, more so given FanaticalAboutOdeon’s extensive descriptions of the various curtains and lighting schemes over the years.
Perhaps the screen has been moved forward such that there is no space for tabs?
I am puzzled by the concealed lighting in the coves on the circle sidewall/ceiling. They were shown as “white” in the renderings, but all photos of them look like white with blue patches?!
As I previously mentioned, from my conversation with someone from GF Holding (main contractor) on the 19th, they will be returning in January to finish off. It appears that one of the temporary doors that they said will be replaced can be seen in your photo.
Movies for the sake of storytelling not technology
Absolutely—although storytelling is most effective if supported by the best use of “technology”—I trust that you wouldn’t want to watch your favourite films on your mobile phone!
The columns in the 4DX are actually between the seats and the sidewalls. From photos, this was also the case when the auditorium was originally built; however, IIRC, the sidewalls were moved in at some point? By the time I first visited the auditorium, this was not the case, and some of the seats were positioned “behind” the columns!
The 4DX installation needs all the space it can get to be shoehorned in, with the “environmental effects” gear between the columns and the sidewalls, the suspended ceiling being omitted in those areas.
FanaticalAboutOdeon: Many thanks for your detailed post on the “plenum”-type systems used in earlier times.
Thank goodness I never had to experience “smoke-filled” auditoria—it sounds like enough to make one stay at home! Of course, it does explain why systems with high air change rates were needed.
The huge, square grilles visible, with difficulty, on either side of the Odeon’s exterior were the intake/extract points for fresh and stale/smoky air respectively and roughly mark the position of the mountings for golden ladies.
Thanks to Google’s 3D aerial imagery, I’m assuming that the left one can be seen just behind the bend in the rooftop ducts on the adjacent property:
It would seem that the right one must have been blocked when the “Mezzanine” block was built.
I’m slightly surprised that you say that the OLS did not originally include full air conditioning; certainly the Empire had a “Carrier” system when it first opened.
Remarkably, a CIBSE Heritage Group newsletter includes a photo of the “British Thomson-Houston 200 TR water-vapour refrigeration machine […] installed [in the OLS] in 1937.”
(P.S. For the sake of completeness!—details of what, presumably, are the current rooftop chiller units are available in a 2010 planning application.)
[…] suggests the average cinemagoer is unfamiliar with conventional live theatres which I find hard to believe.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word “clearly!”
To you, or I, and perhaps anybody reading this, the idea that the terms “stalls” and “circle” could cause confusion might seem absurd. The only way of finding out the answer with reasonable certainty would be to conduct a formal survey!
At the Empire Leicester Square, the two seating sections in the 1962 auditorium were, in my experience, never referred to as “upstairs” and “downstairs.” Certainly, when booking tickets online, they were referred to as “stalls” and “circle,” and the same is true of the E-tickets that I still have in my E-mailbox, the last being couple of years before the conversion.
(I’m not sure why there are no saved E-tickets from 2013; I must have decided that paying the online booking fee was pointless as the auditorium was invariably so empty that there was no need to book in advance!)
So, given that a member of staff, pointing to a seating diagram which, IIRC, was marked “stalls” and “circle” referred to them as “upstairs” and “downstairs” suggests, perhaps, that other patrons were confused. Incidentally, I was taken aback by this, and responded with “stalls!”
Be it that “circle” and “stalls” are, strictly, “incorrect” in the case of the 1962 Empire, and other similarly configured auditoria, and as the first row of its stadia was (and is!) elevated above stalls level, one would always have to climb a few steps to access the seating (hence the accessible spaces in the IMAX are in the single row in front of the stadia,) “upstairs” and “downstairs” may well be equally “incorrect,”—but they don’t sound anywhere near as “classy!”
I notice that the renderings of the OLS circle foyer include a sign marked “CIRCLE BOX” by the new central vomitory entrance, and, obviously, as I keep using the terms “Stalls,” “Circle,” and for that matter “Royal Circle,” I’m keen for continuity in this respect.
While the design of the average live theatre provided the architectural template for all but the smallest purpose-built cinemas right up until recent times when multiplexes introduced us to less theatrical “black boxes” reminiscent of the more utilitarian viewing room surroundings
It is far from an ideal configuration for a cinema (or a theatre for that matter?) in terms of providing an optimal experience for patrons.
However, it is unfortunate than a “black box” auditoria have become the standard for new builds and refits, but it seems that decorative features are now largely confined to foyer/lobby areas. There really is nothing stopping auditoria from having suitably dark walls (to maximise projected image contrast) and the substantial acoustic treatment needed whilst having a more imaginatively finished interior—certainly the standard stretched fabric systems (that hide the acoustic absorption underneath) are very flexible (the profiles that are used to hold/tension the fabric can be used to form different shapes,) and modern LEDs provide numerous options for a fully conceived approach to lighting.
Re. OLS, I’ve seen a number of articles where outrage has been expressed at the maximum ticket price of £40.75 but not one which tells readers/listeners they can get into the same performance for £10.75.
Exactly! I had a conversation with someone that went something along these lines:
“I’ve booked tickets for the reopening day of the Odeon Leicester Square.”
“Aren’t they £40? It’s not aimed at people like myself.”
“No, I paid much less than that on the first day, and the ticket prices vary depending on where you sit.”
“Oh, but £40? Not for me…(!)”
Not only were there a spate of press coverage when the ticket pricing was first revealed publically, but this same figure is being repeated in later articles!
On the other hand, I am not the only person that took photos outside the OLS as the refurbishment was being finished for reopening!
It is, perhaps iconic more than any other cinema in the UK, and its dominance over the square draws attention unlike any other.
I’m sure I’ll be “swimming against the tide” here (!) but I like the “intelligent ticketing” system employed at OLS.
By the sounds of it, this system is due to be rolled out to other locations?
I have chosen to see “Mary Poppins Returns” (and the Odeon itself of course) during its second week and I’m quite happy to pay £30.75 to sit in the best seats AND make a 400 mile round trip to visit my favourite cinema. In fairness, let’s not forget AMC/Odeons' huge investment and decision to preserve, undivided, the large auditorium – not to mention losing eleven month’s revenue in the process.
I’m willing to pay as much as £30.75 on occasion given, as you say, the high cost of preserving and upgrading the OLS (£10-15m was publically disclosed as the projected cost before the works had been contracted out; have you any idea of the actual magnitude of cost incurred?)
BTW, in the mid-1990s, the cost of entry for a weekday matinee seat was between £4-6 depending on the seating area chosen—which, given inflation, equates to about double that in today’s money.
To summarise the “new” information according to the article, with comments:
The “screen” weighs 25 tonnes, and is suspended from the “ceiling.” This is more than double the weight of the screen frame of the IMAX across the square, so I assume this includes everything (speakers and whatever is required to allow the frame to move back and forth.)
“If you’re sitting in the top tier then you’ll see some nice wood panelling, which also has the effect of insulating sound waves.” This was shown in the stalls also in the renderings, and presumably its primary intended function is not to “insulate” the auditorium but rather to absorb sounds within, reducing wall reflections. As I mentioned previously, my guess is this is an “acoustic wood panel”-type product.
Each of the 400 speakers are “controlled individually”—I wonder quite what is meant—whether “active” line arrays, which allow for the dispersion pattern to be altered by changing the input to each set of drivers, are used? If this is the case, it would be one incredibly expensive installation for a cinema.
Background sound levels in the auditorium controlled to NC25—that is, very quiet indeed!
Kers: I don’t know if they are the “highest ever admission charges” in the UK; however, excluding special occasions as gala charity premieres, or “Gallery”-type tickets with food/beverages included, I imagine you are quite correct.
From talking to those with no special interest in cinemas, the “£40” ticket price seems to have stuck—not only did it garner attention via “social media” just as soon as bookings were made available on Odeon’s website, but it seems to have “infected” the “echo chamber” that is the domain of the general media’s “lazy” journalists!
No doubt this has provided much “free” publicity, and sometimes bad publicity is far better than none—but perhaps not in this case?
Regarding designating respective parts of the cinema as the “circle” and the “stalls,” on the licensing plans, the 1st floor foyer is marked as “Circle Foyer,” and the “Royal Circle” is marked as such also.
I recall purchasing a ticket in person for the old Empire 1, prior to subdivision, and was asked if I’d like to sit “upstairs” or “downstairs!”
Clearly the terms “stalls” and “circle” must be rather confusing to the average patron, and the “Luxe Recliner” and “Luxe Classic” selections on the online booking make sense, albeit quite how they will denote the respective levels on printed tickets and sign them unambiguously remains to be seen—it appears that the front row of the stalls is designated as row (A) and the front row of the Royal Circle as… row A, with only the parentheses to differentiate!
Update — last trip before the cinema reopens to the public:
I spoke to someone with GF Holding (main contractor) outside the cinema:
Believe it or not, both screenings on the 20th were cancelled because the licensing person from Westminster was ill! They will be back tomorrow but Odeon didn’t want to run the risk of it not being signed off (though no problems are anticipated.)
The auditorium is ready and, IIRC, was scheduled tonight for a “friends and family” preview screening.
They are working to a very tight schedule — “trust us it will be ready” for Mary Poppins on the 21st.
Work is sequenced from top down and then out the front; asked if the ground floor foyer flooring was even finished, they said that it was currently being polished, and the pavement just outside the LSQ entrance will be reinstated tomorrow.
They will be returning in January to finish up—MDF doors will be replaced with metal doors, bar surfaces added, etc.
Is it going to be “fantastic.”
Visible externally from Leicester Square:
Hoarding almost entirely removed.
Dolby Cinema sign now installed behind right side of glass box. Appears to be smaller than the one shown in the renderings.
Centre and right large format LED display module screens operating—Mary Poppins advertised on the centre screen — “DISCOVER IT IN DOLBY CINEMA.”
Foyers seem to be progressing well, albeit hard to compare to the previous visit as a much better view in is now possible. “POPCORN” sign, overhead concession screens and 2xCoca-Cola Freestyle machines could be seen in the ground level foyer. However, it looks far from complete, with wires still hanging from the ceiling!
Service yard view from Charing Cross Road:
No particular changes from previous visit, still being used for waste disposal. Discarded packaging for a 75" Samsung TV could be seen.
Innumerable workers could be seen both from Leicester Square and Charing Cross Road.
Farrat: Farrat Isolevel Tweet. This includes two photos, taken during an inspection, which show the steel frame for the IMAX auditorium’s stadia and the isolation pads used to decouple it from the concrete slab below.
Being an IMAX auditorium with a single IMAX with Laser projector, the new scaled down “Commerical Laser” version, the screen is actually 1.9:1, as is desirable for that format.
Kers: Me too. :–( If you haven’t done so, you might like to check the prices for different dates/times—if you are able to be flexible, you won’t have to pay £40 for the “best” seats in the house. I certainly don’t want to spend that much to see a film, free gift card or not!
Kers: Bad news I’m afraid—I received the following E-mail an hour ago:
“Hello,
“I’m sorry to bring you some disappointing news – our exclusive ‘dress rehearsal’ screening of The Favourite on Thursday 20 December at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square has been cancelled. […]
“We need to take a bit of extra time to complete the final works, so we have decided to cancel our preview screenings scheduled for this Thursday. […]
“We will of course refund you in full for your tickets, and will also be sending you a £25 ODEON gift card to enjoy at our new cinema, by way of apology. […]
“We’re excited to confirm that ODEON Luxe Leicester Square will be open on Friday for Mary Poppins Returns, and we hope to see you there soon.”
moviebuff82: Many happy returns. :–)
A Merry Christmas to all…
Thank you FanaticalAboutOdeon.
I think LARGE_screen_format had in mind by “video wall entrance” was something like this:
YouTube video of AMC Dolby Cinema auditorium entrance.
It’s basically a video wall along a curved corridor that “snakes” around under the booth/rear of the seating, connecting to the vomitory into the auditorium.
Some ISENSE auditoria feature a similar entrance, albeit with “environmental” mood setting content rather than fast moving trailers.
Obviously, this is straightforward enough with a typical multiplex layout, but the OLS has 4 entrances to the auditorium (1 stalls, 3 circle level.) Incorporating it at stalls level would be at the expense of the added facilities in the the space that was formerly part of the rear stalls. It also clearly is not the design direction that Odeon have chosen for the refurbishment. (Else the black marble wall finishes in the circle, for instance, could have been LED display module screens instead!)
Kers: See OLS projector alignment example.
A bit of “cropping” should not be a problem, or is even desirable.
I’ve seen some “scope” films having with slight black “bars” to the left/right edges on some shots and not others, which is extremely irritating.
In the old CRT days, TVs invariably “overscanned” the image, with the edges cropped. TVs today still have an (anachronistically named!) “overscan” option setting, and sometimes it’s factory set to “ON.”
Anything that needs to be seen does not belong in the very edges of the frame. (This, of course, gets complicated by the existence of the IMAX-exclusive versions of films having scenes in 1.43 or 1.9:1 ratios, whilst the standard theatrical release is cropped to scope, but that’s another story…)
In any case, how did you find the picture/sound quality?
Comparing photos of the auditorium as it is to the renderings, it seems that not only are the flying ladies not in, but the white light strip forming a sort of “dado rail” in the stalls is not visible, nor the the concealed lighting behind the flying ladies, nor the curved strip of lighting above the/ahead of the flying ladies.
Odeon have posted some high resolution photos on Twitter.
There are clear signs of unfinished work and/or “snags” that need to be remedied, with quite a bit of wiring looking like it needs tidying up. (No, I’m not placing any bets on whether tabs are to be added!)
The wood panelling looks fantastic, as does the rear stalls ceiling, under the circle. The latter appears to be the “Acoustic Wood by Eomac” Grill product.
8 subwoofer cabinets are hung under the circle ceiling, which look to be either Dolby SLS CS218XL Cinema Subwoofer Modules or Dolby SLS CS218I Cinema Subwoofer Modules. Each comprises 2x18" drivers, so it can be seen that 16 18" drivers are visible for the (bass managed) rear low end.
This installation looks quite unsightly, and more so since, curiously, the grilles have not been attached. (They appear to screw on, so, no, the reason presumably is not because they would at risk of falling off!)
Cinema Technology Magazine – March 2013 – “Return of The Regal” – by architect Bill Chew.
Article including photos taken during the refurbishment — photos of new stadia under construction and seating installation initiated.
Planning application including existing and proposed plans.
The plans are to be found on the last page; most of the documents are public representations.
Plans are by architect Bill Chew.
The proscenium end does look disappointing, more so given FanaticalAboutOdeon’s extensive descriptions of the various curtains and lighting schemes over the years.
Perhaps the screen has been moved forward such that there is no space for tabs?
I am puzzled by the concealed lighting in the coves on the circle sidewall/ceiling. They were shown as “white” in the renderings, but all photos of them look like white with blue patches?!
YouTube – ODEON Luxe Leicester Square Is Coming.
Uploaded 2nd December, views inside the unfinished auditorium, and full motion pans around the 3D models of the auditorium and circle foyer.
Evening Standard – “First Look at Leicester Square Odeon Revamp”.
Photos of the new escalators and an evening view out of the “glass box” across the square.
Kers: All’s well that ends well! :–)
I’m wondering whether to go in the new year after the finishing touches are added. Hmm…
Photo of doors to “Royal Circle”.
This nomenclature has definitively been kept!
Black marble wall finish and parquet floor—very nice.
antovolk: Many thanks for the photos!
As I previously mentioned, from my conversation with someone from GF Holding (main contractor) on the 19th, they will be returning in January to finish off. It appears that one of the temporary doors that they said will be replaced can be seen in your photo.
Addendum: And, after all the discussion about the use of the terms “stalls” and “circle”:
Under the “Cinema Info” tab.
To quote:
“In the Stalls and Royal Circle, our handmade Luxe recliners[…]
“The exclusive Royal Box hosts 22 sumptuous full-recliners with extra width[…]
“In the Upper Circle, our Luxe Classic seats adjust for the perfect viewing experience.”
Phew!
Another page on Odeon’s site:
History of Odeon Luxe Leicester Square.
Some new information:
Some names of royalty and stars that have visited the cinema are “etched […] into the screen entrance doors.”
(Possibly not “new” information!) “The Duchess” […] organ has an impressive 1,400 pipes controlled by five keyboards.”
Photos of the cinema under construction, “The Duchess,” and a few exterior night shots are included on the page.
SethLewis:
Absolutely—although storytelling is most effective if supported by the best use of “technology”—I trust that you wouldn’t want to watch your favourite films on your mobile phone!
The columns in the 4DX are actually between the seats and the sidewalls. From photos, this was also the case when the auditorium was originally built; however, IIRC, the sidewalls were moved in at some point? By the time I first visited the auditorium, this was not the case, and some of the seats were positioned “behind” the columns!
The 4DX installation needs all the space it can get to be shoehorned in, with the “environmental effects” gear between the columns and the sidewalls, the suspended ceiling being omitted in those areas.
FanaticalAboutOdeon: Many thanks for your detailed post on the “plenum”-type systems used in earlier times.
Thank goodness I never had to experience “smoke-filled” auditoria—it sounds like enough to make one stay at home! Of course, it does explain why systems with high air change rates were needed.
Thanks to Google’s 3D aerial imagery, I’m assuming that the left one can be seen just behind the bend in the rooftop ducts on the adjacent property:
Google Maps—3D View of the OLS
It would seem that the right one must have been blocked when the “Mezzanine” block was built.
I’m slightly surprised that you say that the OLS did not originally include full air conditioning; certainly the Empire had a “Carrier” system when it first opened.
Remarkably, a CIBSE Heritage Group newsletter includes a photo of the “British Thomson-Houston 200 TR water-vapour refrigeration machine […] installed [in the OLS] in 1937.”
(P.S. For the sake of completeness!—details of what, presumably, are the current rooftop chiller units are available in a 2010 planning application.)
FanaticalAboutOdeon:
Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word “clearly!”
To you, or I, and perhaps anybody reading this, the idea that the terms “stalls” and “circle” could cause confusion might seem absurd. The only way of finding out the answer with reasonable certainty would be to conduct a formal survey!
At the Empire Leicester Square, the two seating sections in the 1962 auditorium were, in my experience, never referred to as “upstairs” and “downstairs.” Certainly, when booking tickets online, they were referred to as “stalls” and “circle,” and the same is true of the E-tickets that I still have in my E-mailbox, the last being couple of years before the conversion.
(I’m not sure why there are no saved E-tickets from 2013; I must have decided that paying the online booking fee was pointless as the auditorium was invariably so empty that there was no need to book in advance!)
So, given that a member of staff, pointing to a seating diagram which, IIRC, was marked “stalls” and “circle” referred to them as “upstairs” and “downstairs” suggests, perhaps, that other patrons were confused. Incidentally, I was taken aback by this, and responded with “stalls!”
Be it that “circle” and “stalls” are, strictly, “incorrect” in the case of the 1962 Empire, and other similarly configured auditoria, and as the first row of its stadia was (and is!) elevated above stalls level, one would always have to climb a few steps to access the seating (hence the accessible spaces in the IMAX are in the single row in front of the stadia,) “upstairs” and “downstairs” may well be equally “incorrect,”—but they don’t sound anywhere near as “classy!”
I notice that the renderings of the OLS circle foyer include a sign marked “CIRCLE BOX” by the new central vomitory entrance, and, obviously, as I keep using the terms “Stalls,” “Circle,” and for that matter “Royal Circle,” I’m keen for continuity in this respect.
It is far from an ideal configuration for a cinema (or a theatre for that matter?) in terms of providing an optimal experience for patrons.
However, it is unfortunate than a “black box” auditoria have become the standard for new builds and refits, but it seems that decorative features are now largely confined to foyer/lobby areas. There really is nothing stopping auditoria from having suitably dark walls (to maximise projected image contrast) and the substantial acoustic treatment needed whilst having a more imaginatively finished interior—certainly the standard stretched fabric systems (that hide the acoustic absorption underneath) are very flexible (the profiles that are used to hold/tension the fabric can be used to form different shapes,) and modern LEDs provide numerous options for a fully conceived approach to lighting.
Exactly! I had a conversation with someone that went something along these lines:
“I’ve booked tickets for the reopening day of the Odeon Leicester Square.” “Aren’t they £40? It’s not aimed at people like myself.” “No, I paid much less than that on the first day, and the ticket prices vary depending on where you sit.” “Oh, but £40? Not for me…(!)”
Not only were there a spate of press coverage when the ticket pricing was first revealed publically, but this same figure is being repeated in later articles!
On the other hand, I am not the only person that took photos outside the OLS as the refurbishment was being finished for reopening!
It is, perhaps iconic more than any other cinema in the UK, and its dominance over the square draws attention unlike any other.
By the sounds of it, this system is due to be rolled out to other locations?
I’m willing to pay as much as £30.75 on occasion given, as you say, the high cost of preserving and upgrading the OLS (£10-15m was publically disclosed as the projected cost before the works had been contracted out; have you any idea of the actual magnitude of cost incurred?)
BTW, in the mid-1990s, the cost of entry for a weekday matinee seat was between £4-6 depending on the seating area chosen—which, given inflation, equates to about double that in today’s money.
joeswin: Thanks for the link!
To summarise the “new” information according to the article, with comments:
The “screen” weighs 25 tonnes, and is suspended from the “ceiling.” This is more than double the weight of the screen frame of the IMAX across the square, so I assume this includes everything (speakers and whatever is required to allow the frame to move back and forth.)
“If you’re sitting in the top tier then you’ll see some nice wood panelling, which also has the effect of insulating sound waves.” This was shown in the stalls also in the renderings, and presumably its primary intended function is not to “insulate” the auditorium but rather to absorb sounds within, reducing wall reflections. As I mentioned previously, my guess is this is an “acoustic wood panel”-type product.
Each of the 400 speakers are “controlled individually”—I wonder quite what is meant—whether “active” line arrays, which allow for the dispersion pattern to be altered by changing the input to each set of drivers, are used? If this is the case, it would be one incredibly expensive installation for a cinema.
Background sound levels in the auditorium controlled to NC25—that is, very quiet indeed!
Photos have now been uploaded.
Kers: I don’t know if they are the “highest ever admission charges” in the UK; however, excluding special occasions as gala charity premieres, or “Gallery”-type tickets with food/beverages included, I imagine you are quite correct.
From talking to those with no special interest in cinemas, the “£40” ticket price seems to have stuck—not only did it garner attention via “social media” just as soon as bookings were made available on Odeon’s website, but it seems to have “infected” the “echo chamber” that is the domain of the general media’s “lazy” journalists!
No doubt this has provided much “free” publicity, and sometimes bad publicity is far better than none—but perhaps not in this case?
Regarding designating respective parts of the cinema as the “circle” and the “stalls,” on the licensing plans, the 1st floor foyer is marked as “Circle Foyer,” and the “Royal Circle” is marked as such also.
I recall purchasing a ticket in person for the old Empire 1, prior to subdivision, and was asked if I’d like to sit “upstairs” or “downstairs!”
Clearly the terms “stalls” and “circle” must be rather confusing to the average patron, and the “Luxe Recliner” and “Luxe Classic” selections on the online booking make sense, albeit quite how they will denote the respective levels on printed tickets and sign them unambiguously remains to be seen—it appears that the front row of the stalls is designated as row (A) and the front row of the Royal Circle as… row A, with only the parentheses to differentiate!
Update — last trip before the cinema reopens to the public:
I spoke to someone with GF Holding (main contractor) outside the cinema:
Believe it or not, both screenings on the 20th were cancelled because the licensing person from Westminster was ill! They will be back tomorrow but Odeon didn’t want to run the risk of it not being signed off (though no problems are anticipated.)
The auditorium is ready and, IIRC, was scheduled tonight for a “friends and family” preview screening.
They are working to a very tight schedule — “trust us it will be ready” for Mary Poppins on the 21st.
Work is sequenced from top down and then out the front; asked if the ground floor foyer flooring was even finished, they said that it was currently being polished, and the pavement just outside the LSQ entrance will be reinstated tomorrow.
They will be returning in January to finish up—MDF doors will be replaced with metal doors, bar surfaces added, etc.
Is it going to be “fantastic.”
Visible externally from Leicester Square:
Hoarding almost entirely removed.
Dolby Cinema sign now installed behind right side of glass box. Appears to be smaller than the one shown in the renderings.
Centre and right large format LED display module screens operating—Mary Poppins advertised on the centre screen — “DISCOVER IT IN DOLBY CINEMA.”
Foyers seem to be progressing well, albeit hard to compare to the previous visit as a much better view in is now possible. “POPCORN” sign, overhead concession screens and 2xCoca-Cola Freestyle machines could be seen in the ground level foyer. However, it looks far from complete, with wires still hanging from the ceiling!
Service yard view from Charing Cross Road:
No particular changes from previous visit, still being used for waste disposal. Discarded packaging for a 75" Samsung TV could be seen.
Innumerable workers could be seen both from Leicester Square and Charing Cross Road.
Photos—to follow.
LARGE_screen_format: You’re welcome. :–)
A few links:
Cineworld Blog Post: “Cineworld Watford is now open!”
Watford Observer, 1st December 2018: “Inside Watford intu centre’s new Cineworld IMAX cinema.” A gallery of photos taken as the fit-out was nearing completion is included.
Farrat: Farrat Isolevel Tweet. This includes two photos, taken during an inspection, which show the steel frame for the IMAX auditorium’s stadia and the isolation pads used to decouple it from the concrete slab below.
Swindon Interiors — Cineworld Watford. Announcement of fit-out contract award (photo on page NOT of Cineworld Watford.)
Gala opening video. Dreadful!
Being an IMAX auditorium with a single IMAX with Laser projector, the new scaled down “Commerical Laser” version, the screen is actually 1.9:1, as is desirable for that format.
Kers: Me too. :–( If you haven’t done so, you might like to check the prices for different dates/times—if you are able to be flexible, you won’t have to pay £40 for the “best” seats in the house. I certainly don’t want to spend that much to see a film, free gift card or not!
Kers: Bad news I’m afraid—I received the following E-mail an hour ago:
“Hello,
“I’m sorry to bring you some disappointing news – our exclusive ‘dress rehearsal’ screening of The Favourite on Thursday 20 December at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square has been cancelled. […]
“We need to take a bit of extra time to complete the final works, so we have decided to cancel our preview screenings scheduled for this Thursday. […]
“We will of course refund you in full for your tickets, and will also be sending you a £25 ODEON gift card to enjoy at our new cinema, by way of apology. […]
“We’re excited to confirm that ODEON Luxe Leicester Square will be open on Friday for Mary Poppins Returns, and we hope to see you there soon.”
Good news, and from my POV, unexpected, as I hadn’t been overly optimistic about the prospect of listed status being granted!
Historic England Listed Building Entry—extensive information.