Odeon Wolverhampton

The Odeon Theatre was one of the original Odeon’s built for the Oscar Deutsch, Odeon Theatres Ltd chain. The Odeon opened on 11th September 1937 with Conrad Veidt in "Dark Journey". Externally it dominates the street, with its cream faience tiling on the entrance block and around the large window which allowed light into the foyer. There is a slab tower over the entrance, which is covered in black tiles.

Inside the auditorium, seating is arranged in stalls and circle with 1,272 seats in the stalls and 668 in the circle. A series of stepped troughs with decorative edges, held the concealed lighting to illuminate the space.

In October 1973 the Odeon was tripled with 622 seats in the former balcony and two mini screens in the rear stalls under the balcony which seated 96 and 111. The Odeon was closed on 4th June 1983 with Bobby Ball & Tommy Cannon in "The Boys in Blue", John Voight in "Table For Five" and Joan Collins in "Nutcracker". It was converted into a Top Rank Bingo Club with the cinema tripling removed to create one auditorium again.

In later years it was a Mecca Bingo Club, but this was closed in March 2007, a victim in anticipation of the new law Government Law which banned smoking in public places from 1st July 2007. The building was put up ‘For Sale’.

In October 2009, it had been refurbished and re-opened as the Diamond Banqueting Suite. This was closed in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In April 2021 police raided the vacant building to discover an illegal cannabis farm operating in the building. Four men were arrested. The building remains closed in 2024.

In October 2000, the former Odeon was designated a Grade II Listed building by English Heritage.

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

Ken Roe on January 23, 2008 at 3:39 am

Thanks smoothie. I found the image. Excellent find! http://www.blackcountryhistory.org/

AdoraKiaOra on April 21, 2008 at 5:31 am

Thats a very interesting site. Great pics.

smoothie on April 22, 2008 at 1:31 am

Ian(or anyone else for that matter)would you like to furnish me with your direct e-mail details through the CT message system? I can send you photographs of the Odeon Wolverhampton in particular which should be on that site but have got snarled up in a legal wrangle regarding funding between the local archive service and their website designers, and others which i have permission to photocopy but for copyright reasons can’t as yet be published universally.

AdoraKiaOra on September 10, 2008 at 9:10 am

No prob, I look forward to them.

smoothie on September 11, 2008 at 1:02 pm

Ian-the Local history website has now got itself sorted. www.blackcountryhistory.org.uk Type in just “Odeon” in the searchbox, and click on ‘images’(its pre-set on archive papers otherwise). Don’t foget to include the “inverted commas”.

The Maltby Collection on English Heritage has also been enlarged too.

I’ll still mail one or two “specials” over thwe weekend when i can (a)get my hands on them (b)Persude\my boss that 100 hrs a week isn’t all that nice really. LOL

AdoraKiaOra on September 12, 2008 at 7:12 am

Cheers!

smoothie on October 9, 2009 at 2:40 am

Enthusiasts of rescued cinemas (Odeons in particular) might like to know that this past week has seen the re-opening of our 1930’s buidling as an Asian banqueting and conference centre. Maybe Ken Roe can advise us what was the conditionality of the listing for this place, in which case I will zip along there and see if i can get hold of a brochure for people to scrutinise.

smoothie on October 9, 2009 at 2:52 am

As we speak, the flyer to the facility has just been published on-line, and a glimpse of the renovations can be seen here:-
www.touchwolverhampton.com/business/website/value/6606746

Ian on October 19, 2009 at 1:51 am

Further pictures of the Odeon as the Diamond Banqueting Suite can be seen here. They were taken in October 2009, and the balcony was yet to be restored, but work is due to start on this area shortly. It is looking in splendid condition, and it is good to see a use being found for the Odeon which does not damage the scale and appearance of the building.

Exterior
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4024891707/

Foyer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4024891951/

Auditorium
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4025643814/

Biffaskin on March 3, 2024 at 12:45 am

Closed in 2020, and still ‘Permanently Closed’ in 2024, it should not be showing as ‘open’ on here…