Odeon Kemp Town

38 St. George's Road,
Kemp Town,
Brighton, BN2

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Odeon Theatres Ltd., Rank Organisation

Architects: Andrew Mather

Styles: Art Deco

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Odeon Kemp Town

Opened on 1st February 1934 by the Odeon Theatres chain. Seating was provided on a semi-stadium plan, with 556 in the front stalls and 404 seats on a raised stepped section at the rear. On 14th September 1940, it was badly damaged in a German air raid, and 59 people were killed. It was restored and re-opened on 26th December 1940. The Odeon was closed on 5th November 1960.

Many firms and people tried to buy the freehold and or lease it, to reopen it as a cinema, as it served the whole of East Brighton. Odeon Threatres refused to sell and or lease the building. They reopened it on 12th January 1962 and ran it as a Top Rank Bingo Club until 1973.

In 1972, it became an independent bingo club for a while, then became a religious centre. It was demolished in January 1986, and a block of flats named Cavendish Court was built on the site.

Odd thing about the cinema the screen ran the length, not the width of the building so gave a bigger picture.

Contributed by R H Scott-Spencer

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on December 30, 2004 at 12:29 pm

The street address of the Odeon was 38 St. Georges Road, Kemp Town, Brighton.

It was an original Oscar Deutsch built Odeon (this one a conversion of former stables) which opened on 1st February 1934, the architect was Andrew Mather. The seating capacity was 958 in a stadium style, with no overhanging balcony.

It closed as the Odeon Theatre on 5th November 1960 and lay empty until 1962 when it re-opened as a bingo club. It was used for a short while as a church after bingo ceased and was demolished in January 1986 and a block of flats built on the site.

PaulBland
PaulBland on October 8, 2005 at 4:47 am

In the early 1970s it was known as the Kemp Town Bingo and Social Club, presumably not under the Rank banner.

Ian
Ian on January 30, 2007 at 5:50 am

Photo of the Odeon Kemp Town in use as a church in 1985/6, shortly before demolition:–

http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/374513033/

Ian
Ian on June 23, 2007 at 3:17 pm

A slightly earlier shot of the former cinema here:–

View link

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on July 25, 2007 at 3:17 pm

Here is a link to a page showing a couple of vintage photographs and a potted history:
View link

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