Birmingham Odeon

The Odeon Birmingham New Street is a cinema and former concert venue, located in Birmingham, England.

Odeon Birmingham New Street
Side view of the cinema from New Street railway station (c.2012)
Former namesParamount Theatre (1937-42)
Odeon Theatre (1942-91)
General information
LocationCity Centre
Address139 New St
Birmingham B2 4NU England
Opened4 September 1937
Renovated
  • 1965
  • 1988
  • 1991
  • 1998
OwnerOdeon Cinemas Group
Design and construction
Architect
Known forConcert venue (1955-88)
Website
Official Website

History

It originally opened in 1937 as the Paramount Theatre, featuring a seating capacity of 2,439. It was built on land made vacant by the removal of King Edward VI School to its new home in Edgbaston.

The cinema received its current name in 1942[1] after it was purchased by Oscar Deutsch's Odeon Cinemas chain. During the 1970s and early to mid-1980s it was a very popular venue for concerts. Iron Maiden performed here in 1980, 1981, 1982.[2] In 1988 the auditorium was divided into six screens (with two further screens installed in other parts of the building during the early 1990s), ultimately forming an eight screen multiplex with an overall seating capacity of 1,732.

The rear aspect of the building occupies a striking position overlooking the railway tracks at the southeastern approach to New Street station.

References
  1. "Birmingham Paramount becomes an Odeon". Evening Despatch. England. 28 August 1942. Retrieved 25 October 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. "Odeon Birmingham in Birmingham, GB". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
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