Odeon Taunton
Heron Gate, Riverside,
Taunton,
TA1 2LP
Heron Gate, Riverside,
Taunton,
TA1 2LP
1 person
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Odeon Cinemas Group (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: Odeon Cinemas Group
Previously operated by: Rank Organisation
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Styles: Art Deco
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
440871.224.4007
Nearby Theaters
The latest Odeon Taunton opened on 4th August 1994, one of the first Odeon multiplexes to be built during the Rank Organisation era. It’s opening signalled the closure of the two-screen Plaza (ex-1930’s Odeon) in the town centre.
The cinema was designed in the style of the classic 1930’s Odeon, Art Deco style cinemas. The cream fascia, curved corners and striking 20m high tower all add to the Art Deco effect.
Built with only five screens (it was initially meant to be seven, and on a different patch of land to where it ended up being), the Odeon became very popular, very quickly, with a turnover of almost 500,000 admissions per year. In 1997 Odeon applied to extend the cinema to eight screens, and the application was finally approved in 2004. Happily, the extension retains the style of the building, although unfortunately the quest for bigger screen sheets has meant screen tabs have now been removed.
Contributed by
Dan Harris
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Have they extended the cinema yet…Saw a few films there in a spate a few years ago FaceOff Little Voice Boogie Nights and nothing for a while…a serviceable multiplex which could be bigger in a community which deserves slightly bigger and better
Yes, the cinema has finally been extended after many years of refused planning applications. The program included adding a further three screens to the north western elevation, new customer toilets and staff areas, and extending and remodelling the foyer. The three new auditoria are all of stadia design and seat 86, 153 and 215. A few compromises had to be made – screen 4 lost around 30 seats to create access to the new auditoria, and we lost around 30 car park spaces, although as yet this hasn’t been a problem. The existing five screens were all refurbished back in 2001 to include better acoustic wall panelling, and the screen surfaces were all enlarged recently.
Opened originally as a 5-screen Odeon on 4th August 1994 with a seating capacity of 998. The extension with 3 additional screens opened in March 2005.
Three photographs of the Odeon Taunton:
1. Photo by Dan Harris taken soon after opening in 1994:
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2. Night view
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3. Close-up of tower
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Sorry…here is the above link 3 again:
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Have been here a few times since the late 90s'…more recent experiences quite good for a regional multiplex – Anchorman 2 / Central Intelligence / Life of Pi in 3D / Zoolander 2 Sausage Party preview tonight!
The two smallest auditoria (Screens 1 and 8) have been refurbished and rebranded as Luxe screens, each with 41 recliner seats.
It is unclear if the other screens are also going to similarly refurbished. It is possible that Odeon consider that for some cinemas it is impractical to rebrand all the screens as Luxe. This may be such a case. All 8 screens are currently operational.