The movie theatre commenced operations in 1997 and served local families for 27 years, before its closure last year. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark
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Intriguing photos have offered a glimpse inside a defunct movie house that ceased operating last year, even after the community united in an attempt to rescue it. The Odeon in Kettering, Northamptonshire, ended screenings at the beginning of 2025, leaving the town without a place to watch films. Efforts to dismantle the location to make way for a storage unit are reportedly nearing completion.
Now, images of the shuttered cinema prior to the arrival of bulldozers have surfaced, presenting an engaging view inside the building, which was favored by local families for 27 years. Costa and Ben & Jerry’s branding remains visible in the entrance area, while the initial two letters of an ‘ODEON’ sign over the ticket counters have either fallen off or been taken away, leaving only ‘EON’.
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The individual who shared the images on Reddit commented: “The Odeon cinema in Kettering launched in December of 1997 with the James Bond motion picture Tomorrow Never Dies and proceeded to cater to the town for 27 years. As time passed, it transitioned from classic 35mm film projection to digital technologies and subsequently 3D, keeping pace with developments throughout the cinema business.
“In its concluding years, patronage decreased, and the site was deemed no longer economically sustainable. Despite neighborhood encouragement and appeals to keep it functioning, the movie theatre permanently stopped showing films on January 28, 2025. Soon after its closure, the premises suffered a break-in and acts of vandalism, with portions of the interior wrecked by teenagers.”
Photographs of the foyer reveal a collection of tables still situated there, as well as rubbish and other objects, including a shovel, scattered throughout the space. Images depict sections of the ceiling having collapsed or been damaged, with wires hanging down.
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Additional images display the inside of one of the viewing rooms, with a row of seats still present. Orange and white paint has been smeared around the area, and the projection screen has been ripped, exposing the equipment beneath.
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Other visuals show what seems to be inside one of the projection rooms. Although equipment is still present, some damage seems to have occurred.
Odean Cinema
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Users on Reddit expressed their sadness at the vandalism of the premises. One wrote: “It’s rather unfortunate that people deface these locations; I suppose that if I were still 16, I would probably consider it ‘cool’ to destroy the place. It’s probably a decent spot for skateboarding now.”
Another commented: “When one of our local cinemas closed down, it wasn’t long before scavengers and unhoused individuals began breaking into the walls to extract the copper pipes and wiring from the structure. Subsequently, it was acquired and converted back into a cinema.”
And another person penned: “I truly despise vandals. They give no thought to destroying possessions they could never afford themselves, and they spoil it for everyone who comes afterwards.”
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As reported by the BBC, the cinema closed in spite of over 2,000 individuals endorsing a petition urging for it to be preserved. The Bob Dylan biographical picture A Complete Unknown, featuring Timothée Chalamet, was the final film shown at the cinema.
A notification on Odeon’s website states: “After many years of forging unforgettable experiences for generations of movie enthusiasts, we regret to announce that our cinema is now closed. We’ve truly taken pride in serving our patrons at ODEON Kettering and delivering many years of cinematic enchantment to the community.”