# The Odeon cinema, Cheltenham - September/October 2014 - A demolition special



## Lady Grey (Oct 22, 2014)

It is with great sadness that I deliver a report on the demolition of the iconic and much loved Odeon cinema in Cheltenham. As a Cheltonian born and bred, I was lucky enough to have visited the Odeon on numerous occasion, especially during my childhood in the 1970's.

The cinema originally opened as The Gaumont Palace Theatre in 1933, it became The Gaumont in 1937. The iconic dancing figures on the facade of the building were designed by renowned sculptor Newbury Abbot Trent.
The cinema became The Odeon in 1962, and played host to the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The Odeon finally closed on the 5th November 2006. 
Demolition of The Odeon began in September 2014 and was completed this month.

http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.u...iconic-Odeon/story-22211619-detail/story.html

http://www.change.org/p/william-ruc...ander-obe-keep-our-naked-ladies-in-cheltenham

Acknowledgements; P.Jillings for additional photography, the use of computer equipment, and many other things
And the anonymous person who made one discreet cut in the mesh netting. It made photography a hell of a lot easier!

The Odeon in 1999




The exquisite frieze, in my opinion it is an important work of art, and should remain in Cheltenham.



September 8th



14th September



22nd September









24th September



28th September






29th September



2nd October









8th October






Before demolition of the exterior began, the friezes were removed, as this photo taken on the 8th October reveals.



11th October



This rather impressive relic is all that remained of The Odeon on the 11th October. An ironic symbol of the disregard for industry and heritage, that we have in this country.


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## ironsky (Oct 22, 2014)

Offical vandalism at its best no doubt be replaced by a building that no one will look twice at. Though I supect any features will be sold off and leave the area. Thanks for posting the photos.


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## flyboys90 (Oct 22, 2014)

Sad to see it reduced like this but this seems to be the norm now.Very interesting report and great photos.


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## odeon master (Oct 22, 2014)

The Odeon Burton On Trent had a large verticle box sign the same as this (the one on my photo ) think these signs were used up and down the country from the mid 60's right up to the late 80's, not seen one since 1996 when ours got removed.
Sad to see a classic cinema reduced to rubble, why people dont see the potential in these old cinemas i'l never know, guess they are not easy to convert into other uses.
The modern age has killed of cinema going sadly, well in the way it was back in the good old days before the multiplex era distroyed the old ones.

THE ODEON


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## Lady Grey (Oct 23, 2014)

Thank you all for your comments.


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## UrbanX (Oct 24, 2014)

Sad, but fascinating to see the demolition. The size of the steelwork is incredible, and from an era when people were proud enough to paint their name on it. 
Great stuff, thanks for sharing!


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## Lady Grey (Oct 24, 2014)

Thank you.


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## LENNY147 (Oct 24, 2014)

Shame that as these old Cinemas are amazing.


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## B7TMW (Oct 24, 2014)

So sad that. So what films did you see there that stick in your mind?


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## Lady Grey (Oct 27, 2014)

I was lucky, because back in the 1970's, my Mother worked as an usherette at the Coliseum in Albion Street, which was demolished in 2011, and The Odeon a few years later. Both cinemas became a play ground for my Brother and I. We saw all the obvious Disney films, but I remember seeing a really unusual animated film called Fantastic Planet (I think). 
I saw The Omen - The Final Conflict, when my brother and I were both underage. Philadelphia was a ground breaking film back in the day, I saw it 3 times. It was at a time of great change in my life, the memory of watching that film will stay with me forever. The last film that I remember seeing at The Odeon, was The Hours. By that time, The Odeon had been converted to a 7 screen cinema.The screen was so small, that it was like watching a film in a cupboard!


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## Simon_sanigar (Dec 16, 2014)

There is a cinema down my end (Grimsby) which has been closed for several years and i have explored this one two occasions it would bea great shame if it happend same with this place....


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