Blackpool’s first Odeon Cinema building on Dickson Road (shown below) is now Grade Il Listed. It was the largest on the Oscar Deutsch circuit (at the time) with 3088 seats. It was officially opened by the Mayor of Blackpool, Alderman WR Duckworth MP, on 6 May 1939. Principal guests at the opening ceremony were greeted by screen star Conrad Veidt and entertainer George Formby. The first film shown was ‘Three Smart Girls Grow Up’ starring Deanna Durbin. A Conacher organ, previously installed in the Ritz Cinema Southend-on-Sea, was unveiled in 1946 by Al Bollington, ‘Tripled’ in 1975 the Odeon closed its doors on December 5th 1998 and was replaced by a new multiplex cinema, bearing the same name, on Rigby Road (featured image). The building, designed by architect Robert Bullivant of Harry Weedon and partners, remains as a classic example of the 1930’s Art Deco era. Entrepreneur, Basil Newby, operated the ‘Funny Girls Experience‘ until mid 2026. He also operates the Flamingo Night Club. The Flamingo Nightclub used to be located where the Sainsburys flagship store now stands. In June 2026, the Rigby site became a Tenpin bowling centre.
Blackpool’s first Odeon Cinema building (above) on Dickson Road in 1985. Click the image to be taken to the photographer’s Flickr page, which also features some interesting historical details.
The Rigby Road, Odeon Cinema complex as it was in early 2026, opened in 1998. © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
This is the new Tenpin bowling centre on Rigby Road, which opened in June 2026. © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
Outside the Odeon Multiplex Cinema complex, Rigby Road, Blackpool. 8 August 2015. © Alamy
Featured Image © Alamy
Background Image © Deeper Blue Marketing & Design Ltd
