Lifestyle: Bradford Odeon to open its doors for special screening
600 people will step inside the Bradford Odeon building today for a special screening of the Doctor Who Christmas special.
The BBC has chosen the Bradford venue, which has not shown a screening for around 17 years and is to undergo major redevelopment, as one of eight locations nationwide to screen Doctor Who, Twice Upon a Time.
Tickets for the unique showing were balloted in advance, with 75% going to applicants with a Bradford postcode.
This year’s Doctor Who Christmas special will see Peter Capaldi joined by David Bradley who plays the First Doctor, while Pearl Mackie returns as companion Bill Potts and Mark Gatiss guest stars as the Captain.
In September, it was announced that Bradford’s historic Odeon building would be transformed into a live music and events venue as he NEC Group of Birmingham, which runs the UK’s largest conference and exhibition centre and two of the country’s busiest arenas, was been announced as the new operator of the building.
The group plans to bring live music, comedy, Bollywood shows, and other live performances to the venue. They have a 30 year lease on the building and have pledged a £2m investment towards conversion costs.
The new building is expected to open in 2020, with construction work starting next year. The site, on Godwin Street, was completed in 1930 as the New Victoria and was the third largest cinema in Britain when it opened. It closed in 1968, remained unused and has since fell into disrepair – with the gigantic spaces inside in need of a complete overhaul.
