Final curtain looms for former Manchester Odeon

A demolition team is on site at Manchester’s former Odeon cinema which is earmarked for a 178,000 sq ft office block.

Contractors from Huddersfield-based Pennine Construction are taking down the canopy above the main doors to make way for a hoarding promoting the new building planned for the site.

No date has yet been set for the full demolition, which is unlikely until a pre-let is secured for the new scheme.

The building, which operated as a cinema from 1930 to 2004, also hosted concerts by The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and is said to have been where Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise first met.

Campaigners tried to save the building through a listing but the bid was rejected with English Heritage saying much of the interior had been too badly damaged.

In April US developer Hines signed up to build an office block called ‘Landmark’ to be delivered through a joint venture with the building’s owner Manchester & Metropolitan Properties.

It will be Hines’ first investment in the city and is part of its strategy of expanding into regional markets. It already has two schemes under development in Birmingham – Five Brindleyplace and Two Snowhill.   

Manchester & Metropolitan gained planning consent in 2007 for a Squire & Partners-designed 13-storey building which has since been extended.