An iconic building fully restored

By Tim Addyman
BBC North Yorkshire contributor

The Odeon was the first cinema built outside the city walls

1937 was a peak year for the Oscar Deutsch circuit of cinemas and the 1st of February saw the opening of York's £60,000 new Odeon on Blossom Street.

Built on the site of "The Crescent Café and Danse Salon" negotiations for its building had been lengthy and subject to two conditions laid down by City Officials. The first was that it had to be built on a site outside the city walls and second that the design had to be sympathetic to its historic surroundings.

A similar situation presented itself in Chester, where another Odeon was built in brick. York is, however, now unique as its exterior is relatively unchanged since its opening day and it retains the only original sign of its type in the whole of Britain. (Chester's similar sign was lost in a recent modern refurbishment, despite protests).

"The Odeon's decorative schemes were attributed to Oscar Deutsch's wife Lily, and no two theatres were alike."

So out went the standard features of a cream tiled façade, and in came a more refined design with red brick construction and decorative details.

'The event of 1937 in York'

The Odeon's decorative schemes were attributed to Oscar Deutsch's wife Lily, and no two theatres were alike.

The grand opening ceremony saw flags and bunting stretching from the cinema to Micklegate Bar and the Odeon itself was lit by neon lights, with a large spotlight on the tower being used to light up the whole of Blossom Street.

A constant stream of cars delivered VIP guests to the cinema, among them the Viscount and Viscountess Milton as well as Mr Deutsch himself.

Billed in the newspaper as "The event of 1937 in York", all 1,484 seats had sold out within 90 minutes of the box opening, and the first person in the queue to buy a ticket was also presented with a bottle of champagne by the cinema's management.

A musical interlude was provided by the Band of The First Battalion: The Royal Scots, and the net proceeds of the event were given to the Poor Children's Fresh Air Fund and The York County Hospital.

The opening film was "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" starring Roland Young and also "They Met In A Taxi", starring Fay Wray and Chester Morris. Prices began at 6d for the cheapest stalls seat to 2/- for the dearest circle seat.

Doing it in style

The murals in the balcony foyer still exist but are covered by a false ceiling.

Internal decoration was simple and streamlined, in keeping with the art deco building. In the grand circle foyer there was a mural encircling the wall of sculptured figures depicting amongst others a soldier, an 18th century lady and a Red Indian.

These were the work of Surrey artist Fred White but were sadly lost when the ceiling was lowered during a later modernisation, although they do survive in the void above. The Odeon's decorative schemes were attributed to Oscar Deutsch's wife Lily, and no two theatres were alike.

The fall and rise...

When cinema audiences began to decline the move was made to triple the building and in June 1972 an eight week, £30,000 programme began. The Odeon was open throughout the alterations, with seating being in the circle only. This was extended down towards the screen creating the 800 seat Screen 1.

Under the circle, Screens 2 and 3 seated 111 each. The cinema reopened as a 3-screen complex on the 20th of August 1972, with the films "Carry On Matron", "Cabaret" and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks".

From cinema to bingo hall?

In 1981 the building was, quite rightly, listed as being of important architectural interest, but the following year its owners, Rank, applied to change the use of the building and many feared it would become another bingo hall. However the application was dropped in December 1982.

Competition arrived in 1990 when a 12-screen complex opened on Clifton Moor, but the Odeon remains as the last of the original York picture palaces.

After two years of what the company termed "assessing the cinema for its economic viability" they announced on April 1st 2006, that they were to close the cinema in late August 2006.

Save the York Odeon campaign

The original projector has been restored and will be put back into use.

The aim of our campaign from the beginning was to show that this is still a popular city centre venue for filmgoers of all ages, and it must continue in its present role for future generations.

The news that Reel Cinemas has given the old building a complete refurbishment, whilst retaining many of its Grade 2 listed Art Deco features, and have reopened is wonderful.

Old and new can be harmonised and, in the case of such an important and beautiful building, they definitely should be.