Did you ever enjoy a night at the flicks at the Odeon in the Merrion Centre back in the day? PIC: Mark BuickerdikeDid you ever enjoy a night at the flicks at the Odeon in the Merrion Centre back in the day? PIC: Mark Buickerdike
Did you ever enjoy a night at the flicks at the Odeon in the Merrion Centre back in the day? PIC: Mark Buickerdike

Odeon, Merrion Centre - Go inside Leeds's 'secret cinema'

It is known as Leeds's 'secret cinema'.

When the old Odeon picture house in the Merrion Centre opened in 1964 it was the first cinema to be built in the city for 30 years. But it only welcomed cinema goers for 13 years before closing. This cinema is featured in Hiding in Plain Sight, a newly-launched interactive heritage project - presented by the Hyde Park Picture House in collaboration with illustrator Adam Allsuch Boardman - exploring the the city's lost movie theatres. The project is supported by Leeds Inspired and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. These photos were taken in 2007 when your YEP was allowed a behind the scenes tour of the cinema which as they reveal had remained largely untouched since it shut in 1977. Did you ever watch a film there back in the day? READ MORE: 11 Leeds cinemas the city has loved and lost

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