Odeon Cinema, Newport Road, Stafford, Staffordshire
Built in 1936 for Odeon, the opening film was 'Modern Times', with Charles Chaplin It became the Astra in 1981, the Apollo in 1988, and the Stafford Cinema in 2014 under Curzon Cinemas. It closed in 2017 and was put up for sale in 2024. 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.
