Odeon Cinema, Abbey Road, Torquay, Devon
This building opened in 1878 as the Winter Gardens, it became the Royal Theatre in 1880. After becoming a cinema in 1931, it was renamed Odeon in 1937. It closed in 1999, reopened as Central Cinema in 2000, and closed again in 2022. By May 2024, it became the Royal Lyceum Theatre.. The Odeon cinema company was founded in 1930 by Oscar Deutsch. During the 1930s, it grew to become one of the country’s major chains of cinemas. The first five Odeon cinemas opened in 1933, and by 1936 there were 142 across the country. Although each Odeon was unique, the use of a set range of architectural features meant that most of the cinemas were instantly recognisable as an 'Odeon', with their distinctive Modernist style. The slogan, ‘Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation’ (ODEON) was also synonymous with the brand.
