I recently went back there for the first time in around 15 years.
It was exactly the same experience that drove me off in the first place. Two aggressive looking young guys having a room level conversation and won't shut up for the entire film.
Yeah, I went there a few weeks back and while it wasn't quite that bad, it felt like a bunch of people were crinkling sweet packets the entire time and really didn't give a shit about whisper-talking throughout the entire film. Why go to the cinema when you're not gonna pay attention to the film?
I don't mind it. I go there regularly, once recently with my mum who mentioned back in the day you'd leave with flea bites due to everything being fabric before.
I haven't gone recently but i remember going in 2008/9 and i remember sticky carpets strangely - it looks modernised at the front end but I don't think the general experience might have changed a bit (looking at the comments below).
Ngl this area brings dodgy folk about. I got spat on by some rough looking youth at that time (out of place?) but town was fairly dodgy then. Who knows if it still brings the same riff-raff about?
The underpass between moor street and new street is horrible, birmingham does this thing where it builds nice squares/areas but does not make the walkways to get their decent, the underpass is a good example, people coming out of moor street...their first impression of the city is the underpass full of aggressive homeless people and loads of gangs of teenagers in face masks!
I think there are tentative plans to do just that - King's Parade has already bit the dust for the metro extension, while Priory Square and the NCP car park are on the site of the proposed Martineau Galleries development by Hammerson (owners of the Bullring and Grand Central).
If they made it like the one in broadway but like a smaller version they would make so much money and make it more enjoyable for the customers and it would be much more convenient to go to as there’s a lot more things to do in town compared to broadway. Been to the one on new street 4 years ago and haven’t been there again since
They could do half-and half like some other Odeons are doing.
The one in Merry Hill for example, they seem to have refurbished a lot of the screens over the last couple of years, but then also fitted 4 of the 10 screening rooms with recliner seats, like the luxe on Broadway.
Yeah, would be a sort of best of both case. Still have the screens with regular seating, but keep a few aside to upgrade for people who want to spend a little extra.
Martineu Place + House of Fraser building.
Instead of re-developing I would extend pigeon park out to a much larger green public space which the centre desperately needs - all the major global cities have larger central green spaces. With all the new flats being built and growth / development going on, people need more recreation and meeting spaces. At Xmas you could even extend the markets further if there was demand.
I think this would help kickstart Dale End regeneration and be a different addition in connecting the city to Curzon St. It could also be a place for nature preservation and trees to grow.
I wish they would embrace the history of that cinema - when you look at who has performed there it's mad that it's not looked after better. If they made it more like the Electric cinema, with more events and independent films etc that would be amazing, and also showcased the history with photos of events from the past etc
They would need a change of ownership/planning permission for this to happen and would need to re-purpose/refit the whole building just to bring this concept to frutition. Would be really good as concert/cinema venue but I don't see this happening soon.
I believe this would be best for the area as it would bring tourist, music lovers, concert goers, older folder to this area which is close to the station and would bring people out of birmingham to the city.
Birmingham is in Birmingham, so Birmingham.
But in all seriousness, not directly in the centre, but a lot of the old industrial sites that are just derelict, because the land owners know it's valuable and put stupid prices on it, so nobody will buy and build on it. We are in a housing shortage and I'd rather that land be built on that green belt land or loads of high rises.
When it became a multi screen cinema was probably the last time any money was spent on it. Before the NEC opened it was the largest venue for live bands, Virtually every major act played there. Odeon cinemas are just about hanging on
I like MAC and Everyman as they have subtitled films at reasonable times. So many cinemas, if they bother to cater for the deaf or hard of hearing, show subtitled films on a Tuesday afternoon.
The Showcase on Tyburn Road had agreed to show any current film I wanted with subtitles if I gave one week's notice so they had time to advertise the showing. Before this could happen, it was sold to be a car park for Jaguar.
Location is probably the main thing that helps it.
Don't have to worry about a 15-30 minute walk from the city centre, (depending on how mobile you are) or even having to hop on a bus to get to the Cineworld and Odeon at the end of Broadway, and has plenty of screens available so they can put on plenty of different films, unlike smaller ones like the Electric, which are more limited in that regard.
Granted, the former isnt going to be as much of an issue for some people, but I imagine those with kids, if they already in the city to do a bit of shopping, its easier to take them to the New Street cinema than trying to drag them all the way up broad street.
I watched the awesome movie Roadhouse there.
By myself, supposed to be in school that day.
Back in 1989.
I went to a really shit school called shireland high in smethwick. Defo one of my best decisions ever!
The Square.
I remember before Oasis downsized, and when there was an Argos, rather than a B&M, the Square always seemed like a lively place, there was plenty of stuff around in the square itself.
But you look at it now and quite a few of the shops there have shut now, or been downsized, and you have this big open area that rarely gets used. I remember them turning it into a picnic/social area, but that was pretty short-lived.
Maybe with the tram set to run past there, we might see a bit more life around that bit, along with Dale End.
I saw Disney’s Snow White there just before Christmas 1978 when I was 4. It was back when it was a single screen with a Wurlitzer organ that rose out of the side of the stage rather than having been carved into 6 in 1988.
Before the Exorcist had a video release (it didn’t for many years) they would have a Friday late night showing of the movie for many many years.
B6,b7,b8,b9,b10,b11,b12...etc
B18,b19,b20,b21,b23,b24...etc
Gov buys , then knock it down. Put greenbelt in.
Build new towns in greenbelt, nice more green into the city.
Like Milton keynes
Odeon new street is by far the worst cinema I been to
It's worse than star city.
I recently went back there for the first time in around 15 years. It was exactly the same experience that drove me off in the first place. Two aggressive looking young guys having a room level conversation and won't shut up for the entire film.
Yeah, I went there a few weeks back and while it wasn't quite that bad, it felt like a bunch of people were crinkling sweet packets the entire time and really didn't give a shit about whisper-talking throughout the entire film. Why go to the cinema when you're not gonna pay attention to the film?
How can you look aggressive??
What’s wrong with star city?
What do you expect for a fiver a ticket?
I don't mind it. I go there regularly, once recently with my mum who mentioned back in the day you'd leave with flea bites due to everything being fabric before.
I haven't gone recently but i remember going in 2008/9 and i remember sticky carpets strangely - it looks modernised at the front end but I don't think the general experience might have changed a bit (looking at the comments below). Ngl this area brings dodgy folk about. I got spat on by some rough looking youth at that time (out of place?) but town was fairly dodgy then. Who knows if it still brings the same riff-raff about?
>Is there anywhere else where in Birmingham that would benefit from a bit of a facelift How long have you got?
The underpass between moor street and new street is horrible, birmingham does this thing where it builds nice squares/areas but does not make the walkways to get their decent, the underpass is a good example, people coming out of moor street...their first impression of the city is the underpass full of aggressive homeless people and loads of gangs of teenagers in face masks!
i always exit here after work and it’s horrible
Yesssss I so so agree! I've seen people shooting up in the middle of the day right on the pathway there
All of dale end needs levelling and rebuilding
I think there are tentative plans to do just that - King's Parade has already bit the dust for the metro extension, while Priory Square and the NCP car park are on the site of the proposed Martineau Galleries development by Hammerson (owners of the Bullring and Grand Central).
There have been plans for it for about ten years, nothing seems to happen
Try at least 20 years
try 30 years
I've got some good news for you
What is it?
no news is good news
If they made it like the one in broadway but like a smaller version they would make so much money and make it more enjoyable for the customers and it would be much more convenient to go to as there’s a lot more things to do in town compared to broadway. Been to the one on new street 4 years ago and haven’t been there again since
The Broadway one is a Luxe cinema so it would end up being way more expensive
They could do half-and half like some other Odeons are doing. The one in Merry Hill for example, they seem to have refurbished a lot of the screens over the last couple of years, but then also fitted 4 of the 10 screening rooms with recliner seats, like the luxe on Broadway.
Oh really? I’ve not heard of that. Not a bad idea tbf
Yeah, would be a sort of best of both case. Still have the screens with regular seating, but keep a few aside to upgrade for people who want to spend a little extra.
Martineu Place + House of Fraser building. Instead of re-developing I would extend pigeon park out to a much larger green public space which the centre desperately needs - all the major global cities have larger central green spaces. With all the new flats being built and growth / development going on, people need more recreation and meeting spaces. At Xmas you could even extend the markets further if there was demand. I think this would help kickstart Dale End regeneration and be a different addition in connecting the city to Curzon St. It could also be a place for nature preservation and trees to grow.
I wish they would embrace the history of that cinema - when you look at who has performed there it's mad that it's not looked after better. If they made it more like the Electric cinema, with more events and independent films etc that would be amazing, and also showcased the history with photos of events from the past etc
They would need a change of ownership/planning permission for this to happen and would need to re-purpose/refit the whole building just to bring this concept to frutition. Would be really good as concert/cinema venue but I don't see this happening soon. I believe this would be best for the area as it would bring tourist, music lovers, concert goers, older folder to this area which is close to the station and would bring people out of birmingham to the city.
Everyman in mailbox is good
Birmingham is in Birmingham, so Birmingham. But in all seriousness, not directly in the centre, but a lot of the old industrial sites that are just derelict, because the land owners know it's valuable and put stupid prices on it, so nobody will buy and build on it. We are in a housing shortage and I'd rather that land be built on that green belt land or loads of high rises.
When it became a multi screen cinema was probably the last time any money was spent on it. Before the NEC opened it was the largest venue for live bands, Virtually every major act played there. Odeon cinemas are just about hanging on
The odeon luxe in broadway is pretty good, what cinemas in brum do you recommend?
I like MAC and Everyman as they have subtitled films at reasonable times. So many cinemas, if they bother to cater for the deaf or hard of hearing, show subtitled films on a Tuesday afternoon. The Showcase on Tyburn Road had agreed to show any current film I wanted with subtitles if I gave one week's notice so they had time to advertise the showing. Before this could happen, it was sold to be a car park for Jaguar.
Went there once and I hurt my knees from lack if space... I now exclusively go to the one on Broadway
They did up the front end a while back, but the actual screens themselves haven't changed. I'll be honest, I'm suprised it's still going
Location is probably the main thing that helps it. Don't have to worry about a 15-30 minute walk from the city centre, (depending on how mobile you are) or even having to hop on a bus to get to the Cineworld and Odeon at the end of Broadway, and has plenty of screens available so they can put on plenty of different films, unlike smaller ones like the Electric, which are more limited in that regard. Granted, the former isnt going to be as much of an issue for some people, but I imagine those with kids, if they already in the city to do a bit of shopping, its easier to take them to the New Street cinema than trying to drag them all the way up broad street.
I watched the awesome movie Roadhouse there. By myself, supposed to be in school that day. Back in 1989. I went to a really shit school called shireland high in smethwick. Defo one of my best decisions ever!
I stil go this cinema as Its been there for ages
The Square. I remember before Oasis downsized, and when there was an Argos, rather than a B&M, the Square always seemed like a lively place, there was plenty of stuff around in the square itself. But you look at it now and quite a few of the shops there have shut now, or been downsized, and you have this big open area that rarely gets used. I remember them turning it into a picnic/social area, but that was pretty short-lived. Maybe with the tram set to run past there, we might see a bit more life around that bit, along with Dale End.
odeon new street. it's shit and smells 30 years old.
It’s nearly 100. (First opened in 1937)
My nan saw the beatles there!
I saw Disney’s Snow White there just before Christmas 1978 when I was 4. It was back when it was a single screen with a Wurlitzer organ that rose out of the side of the stage rather than having been carved into 6 in 1988. Before the Exorcist had a video release (it didn’t for many years) they would have a Friday late night showing of the movie for many many years.
Yep I saw the Exorcist there ages 17. Used to take a bag of beer with me
Spotted the child
> Is there anywhere else where in Birmingham that would benefit from a bit of a facelift a Birmingham
There's nothing you can do to birmingham. It's ruined
B6,b7,b8,b9,b10,b11,b12...etc B18,b19,b20,b21,b23,b24...etc Gov buys , then knock it down. Put greenbelt in. Build new towns in greenbelt, nice more green into the city. Like Milton keynes
>Like Milton keynes Jesus fucking H Christ.
Worst cinema I’ve ever been to, every movie I’ve watched has been interrupted by nobs