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Report - - ODEON CINEMA, HARLOW, ESSEX - AUGUST 2018 | Theatres and Cinemas | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - ODEON CINEMA, HARLOW, ESSEX - AUGUST 2018

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PerryGoesPlaces

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
After exploring this place with @Smiffyboi last summer. You can find his post here: https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/odeon-cinema-harlow-july-2017.109488/ We had this sudden urge to wan't to explore it again. However, the only entrance to the building had been boarded up since last Summer and as I live 5 minutes away from the building I would always do a weekly check to see if an entrance has been opened up. But with surprise a few weeks ago when I was checking the building out I found a way in! I instantly went and grabbed my camera and went inside to explore.
**NOTE: Since exploring this place a few weeks back there is no entrance inside of the building as every possible access has been boarded up**

The Explore:
Other than it smelling of death from the large amount of dead pigeons scattered around the building, most notably the projector room being the worst of them all... it was a pretty easy explore. The layout of the cinema rooms is quite strange as the seating doesn't go up but is flat, the cup holders being in front of you instead of to your side is very different to today's cinemas. The explore started off in the project rooms where the originally entrance used to be, the projectors are still in tact with the power still working. The stairs then lead you to the lobby where you would buy your tickets and popcorn, I was most fascinated by the cheap prices! £3.99 for a small popcorn and small drink! You wouldn't find those prices in a cinema now days. There was wage slips left on the floor from when £2.95 was the minimum wage and farewell cards from employees just left laying there!
Natural decay and vandalism has pretty much left the place in a state with the main cinema room curtains being torn apart and made into what looks like hammocks, the right and left cinema rooms have a horrific smell with the chairs being ripped apart. However, from my amazement the right cinema rooms curtains still open and close so that was exciting to see!

History:
This was the first new cinema to be built for Rank after the war (others were completions of pre-war schemes) and it opened on February 1, 1960 with "Follow A Star".

It was designed by T. P. Bennett & Son and had 1,244 seats on a single floor in the stadium plan, with a stepped raised section at the rear instead of the normal overhanging balcony. The projection suite was suspended above the raised section of seating and had an almost level throw to the large screen.

In June 1987, it closed for tripling and the raised section at the rear was converted into two smaller cinemas whilst the front retained the original box and screen.

The Odeon was refurbished in 2001 and rebranded with the new Odeon style. This was despite the competition from a six-screen multiplex which opened back in 1990. Its future looked hopeful, however it was closed in August 2005. It was purchased days after closing by a local businessman, and the building still sits empty and unused in 2015.
(Source: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2510)

Here are some photos I got of the explore: (Sorry for bad quality)

IMG_7887.JPG


IMG_8103.JPG


IMG_8114.JPG


IMG_7965.JPG


IMG_7962.JPG


CINEMA4.jpg


CINEMA5.jpg


IMG_7981.JPG


IMG_8016.JPG


IMG_8011.JPG


IMG_8006.JPG


CINEMA2.jpg


IMG_8067.JPG


IMG_8061.JPG


CINEMA3.png


CINEMA TRY.png


If you are looking for more than just these photo's here is a video I made of the explore:


If you enjoyed the video be sure to give it a like and a comment :)
 
Last edited:

Jackdaw47

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
After exploring this place with @Smiffyboi last summer. You can find his post here: https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/odeon-cinema-harlow-july-2017.109488/ We had this sudden urge to wan't to explore it again. However, the only entrance to the building had been boarded up since last Summer and as I live 5 minutes away from the building I would always do a weekly check to see if an entrance has been opened up. But with surprise a few weeks ago when I was checking the building out I found a way in! I instantly went and grabbed my camera and went inside to explore.
**NOTE: Since exploring this place a few weeks back there is no entrance inside of the building as every possible access has been boarded up**

The Explore:
Other than it smelling of death from the large amount of dead pigeons scattered around the building, most notably the projector room being the worst of them all... it was a pretty easy explore. The layout of the cinema rooms is quite strange as the seating doesn't go up but is flat, the cup holders being in front of you instead of to your side is very different to today's cinemas. The explore started off in the project rooms where the originally entrance used to be, the projectors are still in tact with the power still working. The stairs then lead you to the lobby where you would buy your tickets and popcorn, I was most fascinated by the cheap prices! £3.99 for a small popcorn and small drink! You wouldn't find those prices in a cinema now days. There was wage slips left on the floor from when £2.95 was the minimum wage and farewell cards from employees just left laying there!
Natural decay and vandalism has pretty much left the place in a state with the main cinema room curtains being torn apart and made into what looks like hammocks, the right and left cinema rooms have a horrific smell with the chairs being ripped apart. However, from my amazement the right cinema rooms curtains still open and close so that was exciting to see!

History:
This was the first new cinema to be built for Rank after the war (others were completions of pre-war schemes) and it opened on February 1, 1960 with "Follow A Star".

It was designed by T. P. Bennett & Son and had 1,244 seats on a single floor in the stadium plan, with a stepped raised section at the rear instead of the normal overhanging balcony. The projection suite was suspended above the raised section of seating and had an almost level throw to the large screen.

In June 1987, it closed for tripling and the raised section at the rear was converted into two smaller cinemas whilst the front retained the original box and screen.

The Odeon was refurbished in 2001 and rebranded with the new Odeon style. This was despite the competition from a six-screen multiplex which opened back in 1990. Its future looked hopeful, however it was closed in August 2005. It was purchased days after closing by a local businessman, and the building still sits empty and unused in 2015.
(Source: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2510)

Here are some photos I got of the explore: (Sorry for bad quality)

IMG_7887.JPG


IMG_8103.JPG


IMG_8114.JPG


IMG_7965.JPG


IMG_7962.JPG


CINEMA4.jpg


CINEMA5.jpg


IMG_7981.JPG


IMG_8016.JPG


IMG_8011.JPG


IMG_8006.JPG


CINEMA2.jpg


IMG_8067.JPG


IMG_8061.JPG


CINEMA3.png


CINEMA TRY.png


If you are looking for more than just these photo's here is a video I made of the explore:


If you enjoyed the video be sure to give it a like and a comment :)
Used to live in loughton never made it to this cinema, went other direction!
Good pictures and history!
 

Landie_Man

"Landie" or Harry
Regular User
Certainly wish the contract for my employment at odeon was that simple! That said, I did work there 2008-2015 and in Aylesbury, not Harlow! Can see a lot of similarities, first and fave films etc. Nice.

I explored this 18 months ago. Wasn’t a bad one.
 

PerryGoesPlaces

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Certainly wish the contract for my employment at odeon was that simple! That said, I did work there 2008-2015 and in Aylesbury, not Harlow! Can see a lot of similarities, first and fave films etc. Nice.

I explored this 18 months ago. Wasn’t a bad one.
There is old employment details scattered all over the floors, its quite interesting to see what roles people had, I was even tempted to try call one of the phone numbers :eek: This was my first ever explore I did last year, I didn't even know what Urbex was and neither did my mate but he was like "lets go inside that" and I was bricking myself because I didn't want to get caught.
 

Landie_Man

"Landie" or Harry
Regular User
There is old employment details scattered all over the floors, its quite interesting to see what roles people had, I was even tempted to try call one of the phone numbers :eek: This was my first ever explore I did last year, I didn't even know what Urbex was and neither did my mate but he was like "lets go inside that" and I was bricking myself because I didn't want to get caught.

Don’t worry about getting caught lol. Not as many roles these days. They’re quite a cost cutting company.
 

PerryGoesPlaces

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Don’t worry about getting caught lol. Not as many roles these days. They’re quite a cost cutting company.
Been caught countless times since my first explore last year, Police and Security have always been nice so that's a blessing. Yeah I dont really see many Odeon Cinemas around anymore.
 

Dave563

Some things are best left untouched!
28DL Full Member
Not that I’m aware of. Think it’s a listed building.
 

jdtaylor

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
In my opinion Harlow town centre has gone down hill over the last few years. Although the new Asda etc. got built, some of those units are empty. Even Cineworld has moved into part of the shopping centre and that area felt quiet last time I was in that area.
 

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