Odeon Cinema, London Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk
The Odeon in Lowestoft was built in 1936. It opened on 23rd January 1937. It closed in April 1979 and was subsequently demolished to make way for a shopping centre. 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.