News / Union Street
Former cinema could become ‘cutting-edge music and arts destination’
Ambitious plans have been revealed for Bristol’s former Odeon.
The historic cinema building on Union Street could be transformed into “a cutting-edge music and arts destination for Bristol”.
A licence application submitted by UG Arts Ltd says the new space “will promote and support a broad range of cultural activities across music, visual arts and film”.
“We intend to make some modifications to the building and cinema screen rooms, including an additional fire exit / door (connecting screen 1 and 2) and removal of all cinema seats from screen 1 and most from screen 2,” says the application.
Opening hours applied for are midday to 4am from Sunday to Thursday, and midday to 5am on Friday and Saturday.
UG Arts Ltd’s registered address is in Barnet in north London. On Companies House, its directors are named as Thomas Hodgson, Jack Meadows and Luke Turner.
Lidl (and before that, H&M and Mothercare) now takes up the Odeon’s former grand entrance – photo: Martin Booth
The Odeon on Union Street closed in February after 88 years ahead of the opening of a new Odeon in Cabot Circus.
When the picture palace opened in 1938, it had seating for 1000 cinemagoers in the stalls and 900 in the balcony.
Lidl (and before that, H&M and Mothercare) now takes up the Odeon’s former grand entrance, with the current way in up a flight of stairs dating back to 1985.
On May 26 1946, Odeon manager Robert Partington-Smith was shot and killed in his office, the real gun going off at exactly the same time as a gunshot in a screening of The Light That Failed.
The culprit has never been caught, making it Bristol’s oldest cold case murder.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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