I would expect someone with a nom de plume such as yours, Fanatical to say what you do in support of the original Odeons.
I am the first person to agree that in days of yore, all the circuit houses as well as many independents were , with a few exceptions, fascinating pieces of architecture in their own right.
From the opulence of the Granadas and Gaumont Palaces (the finest of which, Manchester, being designed and built for Granada, of course) to the more elaborate of Glen’s houses for ABC and the rather more functional but comfortable Odeons, they were all a pleasure to visit.
The latter,when compared with today’s austere, bland and characterless venues, were indeed highly elaborate and I am cautiously optimistic that the last largely unspoilt example, namely the Odeon Leicester Square, will receive the sensitive treatment it deserves when its refurbishment does eventually come to fruition.
Good that the integrity of the Odeon is going to be preserved (hopefully).
As for the purpose built Odeons, this was the best constructed as the remainder were, in the main, jerry -built, plain and unexciting affairs.
We on the Granada circuit quite rightly regarded our buildings as far superior and we rated ABC’s as second best to Odeon’s mediocre third rate status. ABC could also (after us) rightly boast better company – management/staff relations and conditions than Odeon .
I would expect someone with a nom de plume such as yours, Fanatical to say what you do in support of the original Odeons.
I am the first person to agree that in days of yore, all the circuit houses as well as many independents were , with a few exceptions, fascinating pieces of architecture in their own right.
From the opulence of the Granadas and Gaumont Palaces (the finest of which, Manchester, being designed and built for Granada, of course) to the more elaborate of Glen’s houses for ABC and the rather more functional but comfortable Odeons, they were all a pleasure to visit.
The latter,when compared with today’s austere, bland and characterless venues, were indeed highly elaborate and I am cautiously optimistic that the last largely unspoilt example, namely the Odeon Leicester Square, will receive the sensitive treatment it deserves when its refurbishment does eventually come to fruition.
Good that the integrity of the Odeon is going to be preserved (hopefully).
As for the purpose built Odeons, this was the best constructed as the remainder were, in the main, jerry -built, plain and unexciting affairs.
We on the Granada circuit quite rightly regarded our buildings as far superior and we rated ABC’s as second best to Odeon’s mediocre third rate status. ABC could also (after us) rightly boast better company – management/staff relations and conditions than Odeon .