I was the Chief Technician at the Odeon Leeds for its last 13 years. A sad day when it closed, especially since business was good and the screens packed. We closed not because of poor returns, we were one of the most profitable cinemas on the circuit, but simply because an offer was made for the site and the company took it. On hindsite, they admit to a major mistake, pulling out of the fastest growing city in the UK, where city centre apartments are booming, where they owned a massive site that was rent free and lease free. We still filled the thousand seats in screen one on a regular basis, in fact we used to count the EMPTY seats and if there was 400 we’d call the film a flop! Odeon 1 boasted 1000 seats, 48 foot screen and digital sound one engineer commented was superior to the Odeon Leicester Square – with the most powerful amps available and every channel bi-amped, something that isn’t done now even in multiplexes due to the cost. We had first rate presentation, with 3 different coloured footlights on the tabs, and two pairs of pageants on the side walls, all with separate dimmers. I have great memories showing blockbuster movies to one packed house after the next, not to mention all of the world premieres we presented for the Leeds Film Festival. I have many pictures of the interior if anyone is interested.
I was the Chief Technician at the Odeon Leeds for its last 13 years. A sad day when it closed, especially since business was good and the screens packed. We closed not because of poor returns, we were one of the most profitable cinemas on the circuit, but simply because an offer was made for the site and the company took it. On hindsite, they admit to a major mistake, pulling out of the fastest growing city in the UK, where city centre apartments are booming, where they owned a massive site that was rent free and lease free. We still filled the thousand seats in screen one on a regular basis, in fact we used to count the EMPTY seats and if there was 400 we’d call the film a flop! Odeon 1 boasted 1000 seats, 48 foot screen and digital sound one engineer commented was superior to the Odeon Leicester Square – with the most powerful amps available and every channel bi-amped, something that isn’t done now even in multiplexes due to the cost. We had first rate presentation, with 3 different coloured footlights on the tabs, and two pairs of pageants on the side walls, all with separate dimmers. I have great memories showing blockbuster movies to one packed house after the next, not to mention all of the world premieres we presented for the Leeds Film Festival. I have many pictures of the interior if anyone is interested.