They are knocking the Odeon down!!!

sluffy · Post by **sluffy** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:53 am

Just stumbled across this -

IT is the end of an era as workmen move in to demolish the former Odeon cinema building in Bolton town centre.

Developer Woodthorpe Homes wants to turn the venue -which also hosted pop music acts such as Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry and the Bee Gees - into an 11-storey hotel, residential and retail complex.

The Manchester-based firm submitted initial plans to Bolton Council on Monday and demolition work has already begun on the Art Deco building.

The scheme includes 50 luxury apartments, offices, basement parking for 86 cars and offices and shops on the ground floor. The hotel section would occupy up to the eighth floor.

Cllr Ebrahim Adia, Bolton Council's executive member for development, said: "This scheme is part of the wider cultural and innovation quarter for the town centre.

"Hopefully, it would fit in quite nicely with the concept of a culture and leisure area.

I've seen the drawings and they look very impressive."

More than 2,600 people packed the Odeon Theatre on its first night - August 21, 1937 - when the First Battalion of the Royal Scots struck up the opening music.

The audience was treated to the Gaumont British Sound News, a cartoon, and three films, including the feature film, Dark Journey, starring Conrad Veidt and Vivien Leigh.

For the next 45 years, it was one of Bolton's best-loved venues and hosted 1960s acts such as Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Searchers, Dusty Springfield and Freddie and the Dreamers. Following interior rebuilding, its three screens showed thousands of films before it closed in January, 1983, when it was turned into a bingo hall amid protests from cinemagoers.

After a £370,000 refit, it was opened by Paul Shane, star of the BBC comedy series, Hi-De-Hi, in February, 1983.

In later years, the old cinema was used by Mecca until it moved its bingo hall operation to the current site off Moor Lane in November, 2004.

http://www.thisisbolton.co.uk/mostpopul ... p#comments

I used to go along to the Saturday morning kids club as a child - still remember parts of the 'anthem' we had to sing which went something like this -

We come along on a Saturday morning - greeting everybody with a smile.
As members of the Odeon (?) Club we all intend to be - good citizens when we grow up and champions of the free.

There won't be anything from my childhood days left soon!!!

InsaneApache · Post by **InsaneApache** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:09 pm

I saw One Flew over the Cuckoos nest there.

I also gigged at the Pips nightclub underneath in 1977. Got paid £15, a Kings ransom.

cowdrill · Post by **cowdrill** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:23 pm

i watched Empire Strikes Back there

me and my mum in a queue that went round the entire building!

bettyrasta · Post by **bettyrasta** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:34 pm

My favourite film memory there was a double-bill of Taxi Driver and Midnight Express. Incredible really when you think of the shite served up now. Mind you there was also the Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue back then.

Soldier_Of_The_White_Army · Post by **Soldier_Of_The_White_Army** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:09 pm

I remember watching 'The lost city of Atlantis' or something like that. It was the one were they went to Atlantis in that sphere shapped sub with a hole in the bottom. I also watched grizzly (gave me nightmares) and Pete Pan (but the film reel broke 5 mins in!)

End of an era indeed!

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:37 pm

Aye, knock the whole town down and build some more hotels. We definitely need more hotels. We have to travel miles now to watch any films as it is. Queens, Lido, Rialto, Palladium, Odeon, all the town centre cinemas gone. Market place gone, Palais long gone, all the pubs and clubs full of kids, shut the lid and goodbye life.

cowdrill · Post by **cowdrill** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:29 pm

NumptyNumbNuts · Post by **NumptyNumbNuts** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:32 pm

TANGODANCER wrote:Aye, knock the whole town down and build some more hotels. We definitely need more hotels. We have to travel miles now to watch any films as it is. Queens, Lido, Rialto, Palladium, Odeon, all the town centre cinemas gone. Market place gone, Palais long gone, all the pubs and clubs full of kids, shut the lid and goodbye life.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:30 pm

I've been hoping for ages that someone might be able to do something with the building as it is. Quite coincidentally, I was going to ask on here if anybody knew what was happening to it as when I was on my way to the fish market this morning I noticed that someone had ripped the veranda down. It's a real shame. I didn't know that people are allowed to just rip down Art-Deco buildings. Do they not have to retain the facia and incorporate it into the new building like Tesco did with the Hoover Building?
Mind you, I was under the impression that they had to retain the front of the old Fire Station when they built those dreadful flats. That doesn't appear to have happened either.

My abiding memory by the way? Herbie goes to Monte Carlo.

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:02 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:I've been hoping for ages that someone might be able to do something with the building as it is. Quite coincidentally, I was going to ask on here if anybody knew what was happening to it as when I was on my way to the fish market this morning I noticed that someone had ripped the veranda down. It's a real shame. I didn't know that people are allowed to just rip down Art-Deco buildings. Do they not have to retain the facia and incorporate it into the new building like Tesco did with the Hoover Building?
Mind you, I was under the impression that they had to retain the front of the old Fire Station when they built those dreadful flats. That doesn't appear to have happened either.

My abiding memory by the way? Herbie goes to Monte Carlo.

The Fire Station on the upper level (Marsden Way or something) ? Surely not? I saw Pinnochio when it first came out in the Odeon.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:06 pm

...........erm, goodbye LASER QUEST!!

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:08 pm

Unfortunately, Monty, where once there stood a magnificent red-brick building there now stands this monstrosity!

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:10 pm

Batman wrote:...........erm, goodbye LASER QUEST!!

Wrong cinema, Batty!

communistworkethic · Post by **communistworkethic** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:12 pm

abiding memory - Star Wars!

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:15 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:I've been hoping for ages that someone might be able to do something with the building as it is. Quite coincidentally, I was going to ask on here if anybody knew what was happening to it as when I was on my way to the fish market this morning I noticed that someone had ripped the veranda down. It's a real shame. I didn't know that people are allowed to just rip down Art-Deco buildings. Do they not have to retain the facia and incorporate it into the new building like Tesco did with the Hoover Building?
Mind you, I was under the impression that they had to retain the front of the old Fire Station when they built those dreadful flats. That doesn't appear to have happened either.

My abiding memory by the way? Herbie goes to Monte Carlo.

Opens lid:

You're using terms today's wonder-boy planners wouldn't even know the meaning of Bruce. Preserving historic building and tradtions is almost a dead art. "How much is it worth as real estate?" is all that matters now. Knock the town hall down and build a leisure complex....... Shuts lid.

Oh, by the way, Cinderella was my first Odeon memory. The witch frightened me half to death .

Bwfcraig · Post by **Bwfcraig** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:29 pm

Gone like the cobbles of the streets....
Another commercial step towards making 'little Bolton' into a city? a painfull step, for sure.

runningonbravado · Post by **runningonbravado** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:41 pm

It'll be a sad day when the Market Hall goes to pot. Could they not keep the market stalls and just feck about with the high street shops already there? No course not...makes too much sense.

communistworkethic · Post by **communistworkethic** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:42 pm

while you have a valid point TD, you're a little off the mark I think.

Is the Odeon an exceptional piece of architecture? Hmmm , typical of its era but not necessarily exceptional. Bruce's call of the old fire station has stronger claims for me.

Plus there is a lot of conservation of architecture even where development occurs - you only need look a the Highbury development and the preservation of the art-deco frontage there.

I think as a resident of Bolton sometimes it's easy to miss how rough and scruffy the town looks. I come back and am a bit ashamed of it, take Le Mans Cres out of the equation and it's just another poor-looking former mill town. A town with pretentions of city status but one that lacks facilities and looks run-down. Can anyone name a major business (other than Reebok) that has a significant operation in Bolton town centre? Whether that be a workforce of 500+ or a regional HQ?

When I visit Bolton I stay in a hotel, I have a choice of 2 in the town centre - Holiday Inn and Pack Horse. The Holiday inn is ok but the Pack Horse is a flea pit. Bolton does need redevelopment to generate investment and jobs. But redevelopment and new architecture should not have to mean poor architecture.

Porrohman · Post by **Porrohman** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:53 pm

Bah humbug.
I think it`s about time they tore the dump down,and as for the Market Hall ,people have been moaning about the state of Bolton Town centre for years so they try and make it new and modern and you get the `I remember Budgies in the Arndale aye it where grand brigade.`
I tell you what, get them to build a swimming pool,no done that,ermmm how about a skateboarders complex for the yoof,so that granny smith might not be injured off the nasty skaters whilst she visits Bolton Outdoor Market dragging her shopping trolley around like Juda Ben Hur.
It comes to something when Bury is a better shoping centre than Bolton.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:02 pm

Batman wrote:...........erm, goodbye LASER QUEST!!

you did well to spot my deliberate mistake

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