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New Odeon opens at the site of closed Cineworld

James Grant
BBC News, Northamptonshire
Reporting fromSixfields
Pete Cooper
BBC News, Northamptonshire
James Grant/BBC Odeon LUXE sign on an orange brick building, with a black canopy above and belowJames Grant/BBC
The Odeon LUXE in Northampton had opened at the site of the former Cineworld

A new cinema has opened at the site of a former Cineworld which closed earlier this year.

An Odeon Luxe will operate from Sixfields Leisure in Weedon Road, Northampton.

The chain's previous site in the county, located in Kettering, Northamptonshire, closed in January and is set to be demolished.

Sian Jenkins, Odeon's commercial director in the UK and Ireland, said: "We were really happy to take on this project, we saw an opportunity here."

James Grant/BBC A woman in a blue dress, smiling and looking at the camera, next to a Odeon LUXE sign.James Grant/BBC
Odeon's Sian Jenkins said location of the cinema close to other amenities was a factor in choosing the location

The Cineworld closure on 19 January was part of a wider shake-up within the Cineworld group, which saw six locations shut as landlords opted to reclaim properties during the company's restructuring process.

A petition to keep the Cineworld open attracted more than 800 signatures, with locals describing the closure as "another important staple of our town being taken away".

A separate petition to save the Odeon in Kettering gathered more than 2,000 signatures, but the site was approved for demolition by North Northamptonshire Council.

James Grant/BBC The outside of the cinema. It has curved reflective glass on the front and a sign above itJames Grant/BBC
The cinema was previously a Cineworld and a cinema had been at the site since 1994

Ms Jenkins said the closure of the Kettering Odeon was a mutual decision between the chain and the landlord, adding the company was "really sad to let the community down there".

She added: "But this opportunity came up and there is, from the location point, some crossover there, so it was really good solution for us with the unfortunate closure of Kettering."

James Grant/BBC A woman smiling a the camera in a cinema foyerJames Grant/BBC
The cinema's manager Brit Voller said she was excited to open the new venue

Brit Voller, the new cinema's manager, said: "It's been a journey getting it all ready, but seeing it now we can't wait to get through the doors."

'Good for all cinemas'

Wendy Goldie Wendy Goldie in a gold top looking at the camera in seating areaWendy Goldie
The Arc in Daventry opened in 2022 and is managed by Wendy Goldie

Wendy Goldie the manager of the Arc Cinema in Daventry, 11 miles (18km) away, welcomed the Odeon reopening the Sixfields site.

She said: "It's great to see investment in good quality cinema facilities – it benefits the community that lives nearby, and encourages cinemagoing generally which is good for all cinemas."

Last year, with announcement of several cinema closures, there was concern about the industry but Ms Goldie said the Arc had "extremely loyal" customers.

"Our amazing staff really look after them and build relationships with them [and] we do engage with the needs of the community," she said.

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