Odeon Queensway
Holloway Circus, Queensway,
Birmingham,
B5
Holloway Circus, Queensway,
Birmingham,
B5
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cinecenta, Rank Organisation, Star Cinemas
Previous Names: Compton Cinema Club, Cinecenta Cineclub, Cinecenta Cinemas
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The Cinecenta was a project of Cinecenta Ltd. who specialised in art house films. It opened as the Compton Cinema Club on December 7, 1965 screening uncensored adult films. The opening film was “Girls on Street Corners”. On 21st August 1977 became the 200 seat Cineclub still screening uncensored films. A second screen opened on 10th June 1979 screening mainstream films and the seating capacities were now 114 and 113.
From December 1979 the cinemas were taken over by the Star Cinemas circuit and both screens became public cinemas from 1980. Closed on 26th March 1983 they were taken over by the Rank Organisation and re-furbished to re-open on December 16, 1983 with Jeremy Irons in “Betrayal” as the Odeon 2 Queensway, and Odeon 3 reopened on March 30, 1984 with Albert Finnery in “The Dresser”. Both becoming a part of the former Scala Superama Cinema/Odeon Ringway which was located next door and has its own page on Cinema Treasures.
All the screens of the Odeon Queensway closed on 18th September 1988 and have been left empty and unused ever since.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Photos from 1988 here:–
Interior:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4947254149/
Exterior:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4947254389/
One of the better cinemas from my childhood – this was the place where I saw STAR WARS on it’s original run in 1978 and on a 70mm reissue in 1979. I also saw the likes of LORD OF THE RINGS, ALIENS, CROCODILE DUNDEE, SHORT CIRCUIT, KARATE KID PART 2. By 1987 though, the audiences had dwindled with the likes of CREEPSHOW 2 and SPACEBALLS not getting the audiences. Much missed by long remembered.
You would think that these dormant screens would make a profit now if they re-opened again..
Biffaskin.. I would like to see them re-open. But alas The Rates on these 3 screens was eyewatering. They paid far more rates then the Alexandra Theatre and The Rep. Some years ago I did a study for a City Councillor On the finances of Birmingham Theatres as against the Commercial operations Like for like The Birmingham Odeon Theatre (Live) as against The Hippodrome Now that was an education Hippodrome paid more then double the cleaning cost of the Odeon using the same contractor On the other The Hippodrome only paid 32% of the rates The Odeon New St was charged. I must add I did put the Cat amongst the Pigeons :)
Grand opening ad posted
This reopened as Cinecenta on August 21st, 1977, to the public. It was the Compton cineclub 24.
This opened as the Compton Cinema Club on December 7th, 1965, showing adult movies for members who paid ten shillings.
An interesting video on You Tube of some guys taking a tour around the premises. I used to love this cinema and went there a lot in my late teens. Found the video really sad, especially the state of screen 1.
Perusal of the Birmingham Evening Mail archive shows that the re-opening dates as Odeon cinemas are not correct. Odeon 2 opened on Friday December 16th 1983 with Betrayal. Odeon 3 did not open until Friday March 30th 1984 with The Dresser. It would be interesting to know why there was such a delay in opening Odeon 3.
Alan Barker. The problem was they had solved Odeon Two but not Odeon 3 Rank wanted everything hat to be run from one Paybox.. It was a strange set up