Ahead of the impending demolition I’ve cobbled together a page or Lens as Squidoo likes to call them about the Bury ODEON Cinema and I’d appreciate your feedback and comments before opening it up to a wider audience.
As you look up the stairs to the circle the view is of a symetrical staircase splitting both left and right but as you climb the stairs you discover that his is an illusion! The left hand stairs lead into a solid wall, an architectural device to present symetry to the eye. Fascinating!
Saw “Percy”, “Clockwork Orange” and “The Omen” here where, to add to the drama, you were picketed by Christians on the way in and saw nurses with stretchers in case of fainters inside…
I’d love to but the feature is offline every time I try. It seems the only way is to post a link to another site hosting the pictures.
I’ll get around to doing this one day!
Warning! shameless self plug! – I’ve many pictures of this fascinating building some of which I’ve included for a calendar on sale at http://www.lulu.com/xarkos
Visted yesterday Sunday 20th Feb 2005, Some repair work has been done to cover windows on projectionists walkway, this has been painted green to co-ordinate with some other wook work so I was lightened to see a little repair work had been done. The main cooling tower seems to have sprouted a sizeable projection on the top the function of which is a complete mystery. One Stop DIY seems to still trading so the building may well be occupied for some time to come. A prime candidate for listing though…
I had a chance to view the interior on Saturday June 12th 2004 during the evening session of Bingo.
The stalls have been covered by a false floor to cover the shallow raking of the stalls, much of the original plasterwork survives ( despite some more modern attempts to blend in similar design elements ). Most notable are the Ventian lion friezes on the walls of the auditorium – what’s the connection there I wonder?
Despite not being in the use the balcony area is still accessible and I was able to wander around unchallenged. Perhaps because of the heat the door to the projectionists box was open at the rear upper of the balcony. passing through this revealed that the wall at the back of the balcony is false with several stepped rows still thier from which the seats had been long removed. The projectionists box, accesisible via a strong steel fire door, was empty – as expected.
The downstairs foyer area, which has two accesses on either side of the building still retains a lot of charming original features particulary the doors.
The location is slightly off the main road so conversion by a large pub chain is probably not on the cards – well worth a visit though you will have to join the club ( in line ) 24 hours before Bingo is in play.
Visited Yesterday and what a sad sight it looks, the facade is still intact, though a little chipped at the corner, all the windows have been put through and the rest of the building is gone. I didn’t know until I read the previous post that the facade was to be kept, I hope they look after it.
Went past last night Sunday 14th about 18:30 – a littel sun was about glistening on the (still intact) tiled facade in the spring twilight, a very sad scene. The righ hand tower has been scaffolded and netted no doubt to protect the adjacent houses. A fence has now been erected around the site and through the fence two bulldozers were visible.
I drove passed on Sunday and was very depressed to see the site had been fenced of and a bulldozer was present. The roller shutter on the front was up revealing the main entrance. Sadly it seems that after much heroic efforts by the Ambassadors Project hte big money has won the day. I’ll check her out agin next Sunday.
Pictures from the interior…
Ahead of the impending demolition I’ve cobbled together a page or Lens as Squidoo likes to call them about the Bury ODEON Cinema and I’d appreciate your feedback and comments before opening it up to a wider audience.
The page is at…
http://www.squidoo.com/buryodeon
Thanks in anticipation.
As you look up the stairs to the circle the view is of a symetrical staircase splitting both left and right but as you climb the stairs you discover that his is an illusion! The left hand stairs lead into a solid wall, an architectural device to present symetry to the eye. Fascinating!
Saw “Percy”, “Clockwork Orange” and “The Omen” here where, to add to the drama, you were picketed by Christians on the way in and saw nurses with stretchers in case of fainters inside…
And the Beatles played here (supporting Helen Shapiro in 1963)
Here’s my short video tribute shot in February 2007 before the major demolition phase.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsS8dBWYfVI
The “Eyes Down” episode of “The Peter Kay Thing” was filmed here.
Ooh ‘eck! I’ve tried to be too clever – backspace away the <br> in the above links back the end of the .jpg – sorry
Many thanks KenRoe plesae feel free to do so, meantime… here’s some from last feb including the monsterous carbuncle (NOTE BIG FILES!)
View link
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View link
I’d love to but the feature is offline every time I try. It seems the only way is to post a link to another site hosting the pictures.
I’ll get around to doing this one day!
Warning! shameless self plug! – I’ve many pictures of this fascinating building some of which I’ve included for a calendar on sale at http://www.lulu.com/xarkos
Still way overdue for listing…
Visted yesterday Sunday 20th Feb 2005, Some repair work has been done to cover windows on projectionists walkway, this has been painted green to co-ordinate with some other wook work so I was lightened to see a little repair work had been done. The main cooling tower seems to have sprouted a sizeable projection on the top the function of which is a complete mystery. One Stop DIY seems to still trading so the building may well be occupied for some time to come. A prime candidate for listing though…
I had a chance to view the interior on Saturday June 12th 2004 during the evening session of Bingo.
The stalls have been covered by a false floor to cover the shallow raking of the stalls, much of the original plasterwork survives ( despite some more modern attempts to blend in similar design elements ). Most notable are the Ventian lion friezes on the walls of the auditorium – what’s the connection there I wonder?
Despite not being in the use the balcony area is still accessible and I was able to wander around unchallenged. Perhaps because of the heat the door to the projectionists box was open at the rear upper of the balcony. passing through this revealed that the wall at the back of the balcony is false with several stepped rows still thier from which the seats had been long removed. The projectionists box, accesisible via a strong steel fire door, was empty – as expected.
The downstairs foyer area, which has two accesses on either side of the building still retains a lot of charming original features particulary the doors.
The location is slightly off the main road so conversion by a large pub chain is probably not on the cards – well worth a visit though you will have to join the club ( in line ) 24 hours before Bingo is in play.
Visited Yesterday and what a sad sight it looks, the facade is still intact, though a little chipped at the corner, all the windows have been put through and the rest of the building is gone. I didn’t know until I read the previous post that the facade was to be kept, I hope they look after it.
Went past last night Sunday 14th about 18:30 – a littel sun was about glistening on the (still intact) tiled facade in the spring twilight, a very sad scene. The righ hand tower has been scaffolded and netted no doubt to protect the adjacent houses. A fence has now been erected around the site and through the fence two bulldozers were visible.
I drove passed on Sunday and was very depressed to see the site had been fenced of and a bulldozer was present. The roller shutter on the front was up revealing the main entrance. Sadly it seems that after much heroic efforts by the Ambassadors Project hte big money has won the day. I’ll check her out agin next Sunday.