The Odeon Cinema - An Art Deco Building in Loughborough

Since 2011 this cinema in Loughborough has been The Odeon but it has been many other names since the original building was built in 1914. It is a great example of an art deco frontage somewhat spirit by the lower and very recent shopfront style signage.

It didn't look like this when it was opened in 1914 as The Empire Picture House operating both as a variety and picture house. The Art Deco refit came about in 1936 and was designed by architect Archibold Hurley Robinson. It opened as The New Empire on 30th March 1936 screening Will Hay in “Boys Will be Boys”.

Its catalogue of names down the years include: Empire Picture House, New Empire Super Cinema, Essoldo, Classic, Curzon Cinema, Reel Cinema and now The Odeon.

Paul Conneally
September 2016
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The Loughborough Echo Building

The Loughborough Echo Building

For a small town in the centre of England it's good that Loughborough still has its own weekly print newspaper 'The Loughborough Echo'.

The paper is no longer written and produced from the wonderful Art Deco building that carries its name in the centre of Loughborough town. The street level shop fronts in many ways ruin the effect of the building with no attempt made to fit in with the architecture and design of building. It's only when one raises ones head and looks up above the estate agents and holiday company fronts that the beauty of the Loughborough Echo building comes into view.

It's tiled front looks a little worse for wear but stand back in the now pedestrianised high street and the whole building is worth stopping at least a few moments for reflection. Letters proudly spell out 'The Loughborough Echo' and at the apex of the building a decorative horseshoe shaped motif with 'Loughborough' spelled out in the horseshoe shape itself with 'The Echo' in the centre. 'Est.' to the left and '1891' to the right prop up the horseshoe reminding us of just how long The Loughborough Echo has been reporting the news to, of and from the people of Loughborough and the wider area of Charnwood, the Leicestershire borough in which Loughborough sits.

Paul Conneally
March 31st 2015

Paul Conneally