Odeon Cinema, North Street, Horsham, West Sussex
The Odeon Cinema, built in 1936 and designed by George Coles, was sold to Classic Cinemas in 1967 and renamed the Classic. It was used for bingo in the 1970s but closed in 1981 and was demolished. 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.
