Classic Chingford

The Odeon was one of the original Oscar Deutsch Odeon Theatres Ltd. chain. It opened on 9th September 1935 with Shirley Temple in “Bright Eyes” and Monty Banks in “So You Won’t Talk”.

The building was located on a side street and to bring attention to it, architect Andrew Mather designed a splendid exterior, clad in cream-grey terracotta tiles, which was dominated by a massive tower to the left of the building.

Inside the auditorium was a little plain and had seating on a stadium plan, with a seperate raised section at the rear which didn’t overhang the stalls.

The Odeon was one of a batch of 47 Rank Organisation cinemas sold to the Classic Cinemas chain on 10th December 1967. It was re-named Classic Cinema and continued until closing on 3rd June 1972 with Dean Jones in “The Love Bug” and “Sammy, the Way-Out Seal”. The actual final programme was a late night screening of Pierre Brasseur in “Eyes Without A Face (Les Yeaux sans Visage)” and Joan Crawford in “Sudden Fear”.

The building was demolished and a supermarket and offices was built on the site, currently Poundstretchers. It is a pity the magnificent exterior of the building was not incorporated into the new building.

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