Odeon Brighton

Originally planned as an independent cinema which was to be known as the Forum Cinema, the scheme was re-worked and Oscar Deutsch’s Odeon Theatres Ltd. chain took over and built the theatre.

The Odeon Theatre opened on 18th December 1937 with Clive Brook in "Action for Slander". The facade of the building was clad in faiance tiles and had a series of six projecting ribs in the centre over the entrance. In later years, these decorations were removed/rendered over which gave the building a much plainer appearance. Inside the auditorium seating was provided for 1,236 in the stalls and 684 in the circle. Lighting was via concealed lights in troughs which ran across the ceiling.

The previous Odeon Brighton around the corner on Kings Road reverted back to its original name Palladium Theatre when this new Odeon opened. It has its own page on Cinema Treasures.

The Odeon closed on 19th April 1973 with Dean Jones in "Snowball Express". A new Odeon was opened on the same day which is located in the nearby Brighton Centre (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures) that was built on the site of the former Palladium/Odeon (it also has hits own page on Cinema Treasures).

This Odeon stood empty and derelict for many years and was finally demolished in 1990 and an office block was built on the site.

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Ken Roe on July 27, 2007 at 6:01 pm

Photographed in May 1972 showing the rendered over facade. Eleven months later it closed:
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Ian on July 27, 2007 at 6:30 pm

A photo taken just as the demolition men took control of the building in 1990:-
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As they were part way through their work:-
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The entrance foyer after 17 years of dis-use:-
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Finally, a photo taken just after closure, before it was boarded up and showing the canopy:-
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Ian on July 27, 2007 at 6:34 pm

Correction to the above information – the Kingswest Centre is not on the site of the former Opera House / Palladium / Odeon, It is the Brighton Centre (Conference venue and Concert Hall) which occupies the site of this former Frank Matcham designed theatre.

Ken Roe on July 27, 2007 at 7:04 pm

Thanks for the correction Ian.
Here is a photograph of the auditorium you took in 1990, just prior to demolition:
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A vintage 1940’s photograph of the Odeon staff posing in the foyer:
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Ian on February 4, 2008 at 11:47 am

A few more images of the demolition of the cinema here:–

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Pamd on January 21, 2015 at 7:33 am

Hi Does anybody know what year the Kemp Town bingo and social club actually closed,I know it was the Odeon cinema, then top rank bingo for a while, but it was after the top rank, that it was run as the Kemp Town bingo club before being used as a religious centre, then being demolished in 1986.

ODEONesque on May 25, 2021 at 4:54 pm

Ian, would it be possible to buy prints of your photos of this cinema?