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Camden’s Odeon cinema is closing for good next month.
After nearly 90 years of screenings, dating back to 1937, the Parkway picture house will shut its doors for the final time on February 24.
Beloved of Edgar Wright, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, the cinema is currently operating as a 5-screen multiplex but is earmarked for demolition to make way for a new property development.
‘Following talks with our landlord, we have come to a mutual agreement to close our Camden cinema,’ an Odeon spokesperson told the Camden New Journal.
‘Supporting our local cinema team is our number one priority and we will be looking to secure jobs for as many of them as possible at our other cinema locations.’
17 years ago, on April 9th 2004, 'Shaun Of The Dead' was released in UK/IRE cinemas. I went to see it at Odeon Camden with Simon Pegg, Nira Park, my editor Chris Dickens and our production manager Karen Beever. We sat at the back because we were nervous. Here are Nira's tickets. pic.twitter.com/sM8uAl9PL1
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) April 9, 2021
According to Camden New Journal, the Secret Cinema Group had explored using the convert the adjacent Mecca Bingo hall – also being demolished and redeveloped – into a space for interactive events, before opting against the plan.
Instead, the wider site will be transformed into student housing and under the name Camden Town Xchange. On the plans are 244 student bedrooms and a further 49 affordable homes.
Camden Town Xchange will also include a cultural venue – there’s no word yet on whether that will involve a cinema or even a new music venue.
Camden Odeon originally opened as a Gaumont cinema on January 25, 1937. It briefly became a bingo hall in the early 1960s, before reopening as an Odeon in 1964.
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