Odeon (Bradford)

• Theatre ID
  2195
• Built / Converted
  1930
• Dates of use
  • 1930 - 1968
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  dark (closed as cinema 2000)
• Address
  Princes Way, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 2BS, England

Details

Built as a 3318 seat cinéariety theatre, the former New Victoria occupies most of a large island site. The vast seating capacity was split between stalls, mezzanine circle and balcony. There were twelve dressing rooms, a fully-equipped fly tower and an orchestra pit. Also contained in the building was a ballroom and a restaurant. The auditorium was dominated by a huge dome and coved rectangular proscenium. A frieze ran around the auditorium below the ceiling and either side of the stage were arches which concealed the organ pipes. A curious feature here was that the balcony, whilst quite separate from the circle did not overhang it. At the end of 1968, the theatre, by then hopelessly too large, closed for subdivision. Two large cinemas were created in the circles whilst bingo took over in the stalls. The conversion work effectively obscured (rather than destroying) all decoration in the theatre, and the stage remained intact in the bingo hall. Later a third screen opened in the ballroom. Before this subdivision, the stage was regularly used for live shows, popular concerts and broadcasts. Bingo use has now ceased and the cinemas are also threatened by a proposed multiplex. The interior may yet be restorable but, more importantly, the Odeon contributes materially to the Bradford townscape, makes a good neighbour for the Alhambra and could form part of a cultural sector for Bradford. Its future is, however, extremely uncertain since the granting of a planning permission involving its demolition (in order to provide an open space!). A local pressure group is campaigning (2005) for its conversion to concert hall/dance hall/conference centre.

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• Other names
  New Victoria Theatre, Gaumont, Odeon Film Centre
• Events
  • 1930 - 1968 Use:
  • 1930 Design/Construction:
    • William Illingworth - Architect
  • 1969 Alteration: subdivided into bingo and two smaller cinemas
    • Gavin Peterson & Sons - Architect
  • 1969 Design/Construction:
    • Trevor & Mavis Stone - Consultant: Interior Decorations
• Capacities
  • Original: 3318
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Proscenium flat