Odeon Redhill
Station Road,
Redhill,
RH1 1NZ
Station Road,
Redhill,
RH1 1NZ
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Odeon Theatres Ltd., Rank Organisation
Architects: Andrew Mather, Keith P. Roberts
Styles: Art Deco
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Located in Redhill, Surrey, to the south of Greater London. The plans for the Odeon were passed in Council in June of 1936 and the cinema was built in on waste ground between the railway and Gurney’s Brook at the corner of Station Road and Marketfield Way, opposite Redhill Railway Station. The Odeon opened its doors for the first time on 23rd May 1938 with Edmund Lowe in “The Squeaker”. It was designed by architect Andrew Mather, assisted by Keith P. Roberts for the Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres Ltd. There were 1,000 seats in the stalls and 474 in the circle.
Its roof was painted in camouflage colours during the war but still got an enemy cannon shell through it that was probably intended for the railway station. For many years it held a youngsters' Saturday morning film club. In the early-1960’s it added fairly popular bingo sessions on Sunday afternoons.
The Odeon closed on 18th October 1975 with Roger Moore in “That Lucky Touch ” and Anthony Quinn in “The Con Man”. It was converted to a nightclub and opened as Busby’s in 1976. It subsequently was revamped and renamed Millionaire’s in the 1980’s and became the British Embassy Rock Bar in 1996. Since 2002, it traded as Liquid/Envy. The nightclub was closed around 2011. In August 2013, it was announced that the building was to be demolished (retaining the locally listed façade) and to build 61 apartments, a Tesco store and parking garage on the site of the auditorium.
Planning permission was granted for the new Crest Nicholson development was granted in May 2017. Sadly, the local listing did not protect the facade and it was pulled down in December 2017. And, in the event, the Tesco store didn’t materialise; instead, the one & two bedroom homes was increased to 133. But the Odeon was not totally forgotten, with the new apartment block named ‘Picturehouse’.
Contributed by
Jonathan Logan
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
I would far rather the name remained as the last cinema name, instead of chopping and changing with the latest nightclub / retail store moniker, which as no meaning on the CT site.
Anyway notwithstanding the name, here are two photos of the exterior for differing times:–
1970:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/1171357606/
1990:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/138626959/
I agree with Ian. Why are movie theaters like this one listed under these stupid barroom names instead of the original cinema name?
Thanks for changing the name! The text clearly shows what it is call now but finding the theatre in the list really does require the cinema name. :–)
A vintage photograph of the Odeon, playing the Odeon release in October 1949:
http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/redhill.jpg
Sorry. I also happen to agree that the most appropriate name for a listing should be the (original) one used when the building was still in cinema use; however, I was forced to deliberate over this point when I entered the information, as the required criteria given is ‘current name’. Anyway, thanks for changing the listing and adding the photos.
Hi all,
I have a selection of internal pictures of this cinema, I used to work at this venue in the nightclub days, part of the circle is as it was when it closed (minus the seats), it is almost as if time has stood still, if you would like to see the pictures please contact me, 07980 759716.
JP
JP I would love to see those photos. Is there any chance you could post links to them on here?
As it is now (February 2013). From 28dayslater.co.uk…
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/theatres-cinemas/78402-odeon-cinema-redhill-feb-2013-a.html