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 Odeon Cinema (Newcastle upon Tyne) Sightseeing National

Odeon Cinema (Newcastle upon Tyne)

 
Description: One of six Paramount theaters built in provincial cities in the UK (the others were in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, ... more
Odeon Cinema (Newcastle upon Tyne) ... Liverpool - all still operating as Odeons, and Leeds which recently closed). The Paramount opened September 7, 1931 and was a large and lavish addition to the Newcastle cinema scene. Designed by Frank Verity and Samual Beverley, it bears a strong similarity to the Paramount at Aurora, Illinois - Charles M. Fox is believed to have been the interior designer of both. Opulent in the extreme, the decor included "pilasters which flower into glass illumination fittings", silk panels, over 500 motives and paintings applied directly to the walls over a two month period, sequin-spangled drapery, and a series of statues. There was a full (and frequently used) stage behind the 54ft proscenium. A Wurlitzer organ on a lift rose up to the left of the stage. In the basement was a restaurant. In 1999 the Odeon was grade 2 listed with English Hertitage stating "[It is] The best surviving Paramount cinema in Britain, with well composed facade and rich interior with Lalique glass fittings". In 2001 Odeon decided to build a new multiplex outside the city centre and successfully applied to have the cinema de-listed to maximise its site value for redevelopment. It closed in 2002.

Newest Review: ... was quick and easy enough. We got there about two hours early as we were going for dinner first, and were served within five minutes. An adult ticket would have been £6.25, but I got a student ticket for £5.50. Not exactly a huge discount, but you know what they say - every little helps. I was stuffed from dinner so didn't look too closely at the popcorn and sweets - it seemed to be ... more

 ... overpriced as usual. I did notice however that they now also sell little bags of dried fruit - I haven't seen that anywhere before. Cinema was very clean, if a little chilly - I found myself putting my fleece back on. We were asked to sit in the red seats ...more

shewhoguards
Premium Review Odeon Cinema (Newcastle upon Tyne): Odeon, MetroCentre (251 words)
by shewhoguards - written on 26.05.08 (Very useful, 127 readings)
Rating:

As might be obvious from today's reviews, I spent bank holiday watching films. Last night we managed to get late night tickets to Doomsday, so it was off to the Odeon in the Metrocentre (which I really hope is the one this section is meant for). Waiting for tickets was quick and easy enough. We got there about two hours early as we were going for dinner first, and were served within five minutes. An adult ticket would have been £6.25, but I got a student ticket for £5.50. Not exactly a huge discount, but you know what they say - every little helps. I was stuffed from dinner so didn't look too closely at the popcorn and sweets - it seemed to be ...

collingwood21
Crowned Review The "Magic" of Cinema (1703 words)
by collingwood21 - written on 26.08.06 (Very useful, 5113 readings)
Rating:

Let me start off this review with a bit of clarification. The “large and lavish” Paramount Theatre described in the category blurb provided by dooyoo is no longer the Odeon cinema in Newcastle; this building, fine as it was (indeed, it was grade 2 listed by English Heritage) closed down in 2002 and is now a sadly abandoned shell that has still not found another use, despite being de-listed. The reason for the Odeon’s abandonment of this little piece of architectural history was the decision to get in on a new development on the other side of the city centre, called The Gate. The Gate is an “entertainment complex” that was conceived in 2001 to provide a 3-storey shopping ...

 
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Odeon Cinema (Newcastle upon Tyne)