Odeon Relics : Nineteen-Thirties Icons in the Twenty-First Century

Between 1928 and 1939, Oscar Deutsch wowed the British public with one of the most extraordinary estates of Streamline Moderne cinemas ever built – he named them Odeons; alluring neon-clad beacons of escapism, glamour and affordable luxury during a period of depression and rising international tensions. However, faced with growing challenges, in a rapidly changing society increasingly captivated by television and home entertainment, many of these huge structures struggled to remain viable. Despite being recognised as architecturally important now, countless former Odeons have long since met with the wrecking ball, whilst others continue to fight for survival.