Bristol will have a second Odeon cinema next year, at the venue of the former Showcase Cinema De Lux in Cabot Circus.
Hammerson, the company that owns Cabot Circus, have yet to confirm an opening date for the new Odeon cinema, but expect it to launch in the second half in 2025.
The 53,000 square-foot venue will be the city centre’s second Odeon, joining the one next to the Galleries. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the closure of the former Showcase Cinema De Lux, after venue owners faced difficulties securing a lease with Hammerson.
Andrew Brown, Chair of the Economy and Skills Committee at Bristol City Council, welcomed the announcement: “It’ll increase the number of screens and opportunities for people to enjoy films while contributing to the economy.”
He also highlighted the council’s efforts to develop a strategy creating a “fairer, greener city” that attracts investment.
Dom Allin, Social Media Manager for Bristol Film Festival, expressed optimism over the new cinema, stating that it would ‘only be a good thing’ with the potential for job creation being ‘absolutely fantastic’.
There was speculation that this location might close before Cinema De Lux did, especially given Cineworld also shut in November 2023, which left a gap in the city’s cultural landscape.
A view inside of the current Odeon in Bristol Shopping Quarter.
Allin commented, “It would make sense for Odeon to move their full operations [to the Cabot Circus venue], but that would mean a bigger cinema”.
The closure of Showcase Cinema De Lux hasn’t been an isolated case. Odeon also shut their Weston-super-Mare venue back in June 2023 after operators said it was ‘no longer viable’.
Residents hope the Bristol revival could signal a similar kind of recovery for one of their own historic cinemas.
Brown acknowledged the desire for an independent cinema instead of an Odeon from members of the public, but highlighted the ‘economic reality’ of it, noting it would be unlikely a venue of its size and scale could support such a model in the current climate.
