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View Full Version : Archived: Bradford Odeon Cinema-Report-21/3/08



ERNIE99_UK
18-04-2008, 05:58 PM
Before it was split into 2 cinemas Bradford Odeon(originally new victoria) was continually in the top ten biggest cinemas. It boasted 3318 seats, a cafe, a ballroom and was a premier leisure venue for bradford.

It has a beautiful 1930's art deco design and had a massive 50ft wide by 35 ft high proscenium with a stage 70ft deep. The beatles played the then gaumont cinema in dec 1963.

It was opened Monday 22nd September 1930 in a very lavish ceremony, its very first film being "Rookery Nook" - 1930 UK B/W 90 mins, shown the same day.

It closed for twinning 30th November 1968, and reopened Thursday 21st August 1969 with 1000 seats in odeon 2 and 450 in odeon 1.
A massive 1000 seater bingo hall occupying the stalls and stage opened shortly after. Odeon 3 (244 seats) wasnt added till 1988 and occupied the former ballroom. The bingo closed in 1997 and is still in good condition.

It closed on sunday 2nd july 2000 with a showing of chicken run in odeon 2.

The site now awaits its fate, the council in Bradford seems hellbent on destroying the cinema, even though public opinion would suggest otherwise.

Pictures:

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odeon3

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odeon 2

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odeon 1

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staff areas

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public areas

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bingo

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rooftop