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| The Odeon Cinema c.1936 |
Hinckley Times announced on 24-Aug-1912 that a number of properties in The Borough had been purchased to build 'a high class picture house in Hinckley', which was to seat 1,200 people. The residence of Mr J.Harrold and the shop of Mr A.Brown were the properties that were to be demolished, the plans were approved by the HUDC (Hinckley Urban District Council) during September 1912.
The building was constructed partly from 'Ferro Concrete' which is a reinforce concrete that includes iron or steel bars. The architect for this project was J.R. Wilkins of Oxford and the builder was Andrew Jeffcote of Hinckley who had built the Hinckley Cottage Hospital. The plastering was done by C.W. Summers of Hinckley and the marble flooring was by Empire Stone Company of Narborough.
The opening of The Hinckley Theatre and Picture House took place on 07-Apr-1913. The façade of the building was in a classical style which included three bays and two storeys with an attached Doric order to give that grand look and feel, the seating capacity was for 800. By June the stage was ready for variety shows and films, the stage was also eventually to become the mainstay of the theatre.
During 1928 the Hinckley and Dursley Theatre Company Ltd started to build another new cinema which was The Regent, this was on the corner of Regent Street and Lancaster Road. The Hinckley Theatre closed in March 1929 for a refurbishment. The refurbishment took eleven months to complete and re-opened as The Borough Theatre on 13-Feb-1930, now with a seating capacity of 600.
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| The Odeon Cinema demolished c.1962 |
During 1934 the buildings at the rear of The Borough Theatre were demolished and a new Super Cinema was to be built there.
In 1935 the cinema was closed and the interior was demolished, other changes were the old section connected to the new auditorium and the old auditorium became the foyer. The New Boro Cinema could now had a capacity to hold 967 people and re-opened on 04-Apr-1935 with Ralph Lynn in "Dirty Work". During the same year on 29-Jul-1935 it was sold to Oscar Deutsch's Odeon Theatres Ltd and became the Odeon Cinema in January 1936.
On 03-Jun-1961 The Odeon Cinema closed after 48 years with the viewing of Gordon Scott in "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" and Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis in "The Caddy". The building was demolished during 1962.
Today the Nationwide Building Society now occupies the space that was once the fabulous building of 'The Odeon Cinema'.
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| The Odeon Cinema c.1935 (Top/Left), The Odeon Cinema c.1936 (Bottom/Right) | |
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| The Odeon Cinema c.1936 (Top/Left), Ralph Lynn in "Dirty Work" (Bottom/Right) | |
