Morecambe, LA4 5LE
Owners: Odeon Theatres Ltd/ Oscar Deutsch.
Architects: W. Calder Robson, Harry Weedon practice.
Building Cost: £37605.
Seating Capacity: 1560.
Date Opened: Thursday 2nd September 1937.
First Film Shown: “It’s a Grand Old World” starring Sandy Powell.
Date Taken Over By Classic Cinemas: December 1967.
Date Closed: 28th February 1976.
Building Extant.
The site secured for the Morecambe Odeon was on a corner of Thornton Road and Euston Road. The architect was W. Calder Robson, an assistant to the Harry Weedon practice.
With cream faience tiles and brickwork marking a now familiar house theme for an Odeon cinema. This sleek Streamlined Modern building had a quirky observation deck that protruded out high above the main entrance, above this was a large Odeon sign.
The dominant feature is the tall, brown-brick tower, with a curved end wall. The facade of the ground-floor entrance has black faience tiling with slender horizontal green-bands of faience tiling insets. The entrance has a projecting canopy roof, with a curved cream faience tile faced parapet wall above. Within this parapet wall are five horizontal windows that lit the entrance hall vestibule with natural light.
The impressive staircase of the Odeon cinema, Morecambe.
The main foyer of the Odeon Morecambe, viewed from the entrance doors.
Below the canopy was a set of five double entrance doors that led patrons into a vestibule and then into the impressive large and lofty entrance hall. The main staircase centrally placed on the right hand of this main foyer divided in two from a lower landing upto the balcony.
The front stalls and proscenium of the Odeon Morecambe.
The splay walls on either side of the proscenium had rich plaster illuminated grillwork that was arranged in six vertical strips of a repetitive pattern within a frame that provided a contrast to the plainness of the auditorium walls.
The balcony and rear stalls of the Odeon Morecambe.
From the line of the splay walls to the rear of the balcony the ceiling was stepped. Each section containing a pronounced lay light trough arrangement that spanned two thirds of the width of the ceiling. A wood panelled dado was placed on the circle and stalls walls.
The build was budgeted for £37605. The stalls held 1084 seats, the balcony a further 476, making a total capacity of 1560.
The projection room at the Odeon Morecambe.
The cinema opened on Thursday 2nd September 1937. The film chosen for the Gala Opening was “It’s a Grand Old World” starring Sandy Powell.
The position of this cinema was not ideal, being away from the town centre. However, it was placed on a busy road junction. It was faced with serious competition from six other cinemas.
Eventually, Classic Cinemas took the cinema over in December 1967, renaming it to Classic. The building closed for cinema business on 28th February 1976. The final film shown was “Carry On Behind” starring Kenneth Williams.
The building is extant and is in use for retail business.
chestercinemas.co.uk