Title
Souvenir programmes for Bradford and Harrogate Odeon cinemas
Reference
HOW/2
Production date
1936 - 1938
Creator
Scope and Content
This series contains two souvenir programmes for the opening of Bradford Odeon (in 1938) and Harrogate Odeon (in 1936). The programmes contain information about cinema staff, the buildings and some of the first feature films to be shown there.
Extent
One file containing two programmes
Physical description
Fair
Language
English
Level of description
SERIES
Repository name
National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
Associated people and organisations
- Bradford OdeonBiographyBiography
Bradford Odeon was a multi-screen cinema situated on Godwin Street in Bradford from 1969 until 2000, when the cinema closed.
Odeon Cinemas took ownership of the building that had formerly operated as the Gaumont in November 1968. For the following nine months, Odeon Cinemas converted the Gaumont into a complex with the former theatre circle divided into two film auditoria, one of 1,200 and the other of 467 seats. The former stalls were converted into a 1,000 seat Top Rank bingo hall, replacing the company's bingo operation in the former Majestic cinema in Morley Street. The "Odeon" name was transferred to the new two-screen cinema, which opened in August 1969. The bingo hall opened later in the year.
The Gaumont (formerly New Victoria) ballroom had also closed in 1968, and it remained unused for 20 years. In 1988 Odeon had it converted into a 244-seat auditorium and it reopened that June as a third screen of the cinema. The new Odeon 3 opened on Thursday 23rd June 1988 with the local premiere of Crocodile Dundee II (1988).
In 1991 Odeon Cinemas had plans prepared to convert the bingo hall into three film auditoria and the former restaurant into retail units. In 1994 it had plans prepared to divide the 1,200-seat auditorium into three auditoria and the 467-seat auditorium into two. Neither plan was implemented.
In the 1990s the Gallagher Group planned to redevelop a site at Thornbury on the eastern edge of Bradford into a leisure park that would include a 13-screen multiplex. The cinema chain originally contracted to operate it withdrew, so Odeon took its place and in July 2000 opened the new cinema as the Odeon Leeds-Bradford. It closed the Bradford Odeon in June 2000. The site remains disused at the time of writing (2016).
Subject
Conditions governing access
Access is given in accordance with the NSMM access policy. Material from this collection is available to researchers through the museum’s Insight facility.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied of items in the collection, provided that the copying process used does not damage the item or is not detrimental to its preservation. Copies will be supplied in accordance with the NSMM’s terms and conditions for the supply and reproduction of copies, and the provisions of any relevant copyright legislation.