Wolverhampton once had several art deco cinemas. Today only one remains and it now operates as a banqueting hall. The former Odeon stands in Skinner Street in the town centre and was designed by Harry Weedon and P.J. Price for Oscar Deutsch, owner of the Odeon chain. It was formally opened on 11th September 1937 by the then Mayor, Charles Mander. The first screening was of Dark Journey starring Conrad Veidt and Vivian Leigh.
A single screen cinema, it could originally seat 1.272 in the stalls and 668 in the balcony. It was re-modelled in 1973 when a second screen was added, resulting in a significant reduction in the total number of seats. Throughout the 1970's and 80's attendances fell and the final screening took place on 4th June 1983 when The Boys In Blue, Table For Five and Nutcracker were shown. The building was then converted to a Top Rank bingo club and restored to a single auditorium. Later acquired by Mecca Bingo it closed again in March 2007 and was offered for sale. It now operates as The Diamond Banqueting Suite. Listed in 2000 with Grade II status, several original features remain, particularly on the facade. On a recent visit to Wolverhampton I managed to peep through the main doors and the tiled entrance lobby, grill at first floor level and some of the internal doors also appear to be original or at least good replicas.
The building has a striking facade, topped by a tower on the left hand side. There are two vertical ribs made of black faience that contrast with beige tiles on the rest of the tower. Elegant horizontal red ribs run up the tower's side as well as on the facade where they are crossed by vertical green bands. The entrance is below a projecting canopy whilst to the right there are five imposing double height windows surrounded by black faience crossed with green stripes and surrounded by beige tiles. The space above the windows originally carried the word Odeon but has been replaced with Diamond - the building's current name, albeit in stylised Art Deco lettering. The word Odeon has also been removed from the tower's summit.
Architect Weedon was a local man, born in Handsworth, Birmingham. He studied at Birmingham School of Art and was made an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects at the age of 24. Influenced by the work of Erich Mendelsohn, he oversaw the design of Oscar Deutsch's Odeon chain of cinemas in the UK, including several in the West Midlands. After the Second World War, he designed a number of major industrial premises and continued working until his death in 1970. His practice still operates.
Wolverhampton's other deco cinemas included the Cannon, originally the Savoy and later the ABC, which also opened in 1937. The architect was William Riddell Glen who was designed a number of art deco style buildings in East London. The Savoy originally boasted 1,777 seats and a cafe for cinema patrons. Sadly it was demolished in 1995 and replaced by a spectacularly ugly building housing a nightclub. I lived in Wolverhampton for a few years in the mid 1980's and saw a few films at the Cannon. Its demise represents a major architectural loss to the town.
The wonderful Cinema Treasures website lists 14 demolished Wolverhampton cinemas, including several in the suburbs. One of my favourites is the former Carlton Cinema in Horsley Fields which apparently started life as a pork sausage and pie factory. Perhaps they sold sausage rolls in the foyer!
You might also like Cinema Orot - Brutalist Architecture in Beersheba or Art Deco in the Philippines, Manila's Majestic Metropolitan Theatre
Architect Weedon was a local man, born in Handsworth, Birmingham. He studied at Birmingham School of Art and was made an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects at the age of 24. Influenced by the work of Erich Mendelsohn, he oversaw the design of Oscar Deutsch's Odeon chain of cinemas in the UK, including several in the West Midlands. After the Second World War, he designed a number of major industrial premises and continued working until his death in 1970. His practice still operates.
Wolverhampton's other deco cinemas included the Cannon, originally the Savoy and later the ABC, which also opened in 1937. The architect was William Riddell Glen who was designed a number of art deco style buildings in East London. The Savoy originally boasted 1,777 seats and a cafe for cinema patrons. Sadly it was demolished in 1995 and replaced by a spectacularly ugly building housing a nightclub. I lived in Wolverhampton for a few years in the mid 1980's and saw a few films at the Cannon. Its demise represents a major architectural loss to the town.
The wonderful Cinema Treasures website lists 14 demolished Wolverhampton cinemas, including several in the suburbs. One of my favourites is the former Carlton Cinema in Horsley Fields which apparently started life as a pork sausage and pie factory. Perhaps they sold sausage rolls in the foyer!
You might also like Cinema Orot - Brutalist Architecture in Beersheba or Art Deco in the Philippines, Manila's Majestic Metropolitan Theatre
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