Former Odeon Cinema, Edinburgh – photographed on 01/08/2026
It’s a shame to see such a fine Edinburgh building sitting empty.
For over twenty years, the former Odeon Cinema on Clerk Street in Edinburgh’s Southside has been unused and mostly forgotten. Its unique Art Deco front still stands out, reminding us of a time when people in Edinburgh went to the cinema for a special night out.
A big day for Edinburgh!
The cinema first opened as the New Victoria Cinema on 25 August 1930 with a big celebration. That same day, just over a mile away in Fountainbridge, Joseph and Euphemia Connery welcomed their son Thomas, who would later become known as Sean Connery.
Sir Samuel Chapman MP cut the ribbon on opening day, and well-known organist Leslie James played the Wurlitzer organ before the main film.
Back then, these organs did much more than just provide background music. They played along with silent films, kept the audience entertained between shows, and helped make each visit feel special in a way television never could.
The first film shown was Rookery Nook, a very popular comedy starring Tom Walls and Ralph Lynn. Audiences chose it as Britain’s most successful film of 1930, so it was a fitting choice.
The New Victoria was built to impress. It could seat over 2,000 people, making it one of the biggest cinemas in Edinburgh. The inside was elegant, with roomy foyers and a full stage. Many local families went there often, finding an affordable escape during the Depression and later during the Second World War.
Compared to today, ticket prices back then seem hard to believe. An afternoon matinee seat cost just one shilling (5p), and the best evening seats were two shillings and fourpence (12p). For many, going to the cinema was one of the few affordable treats each week.
After the war, as cinema chains grew, the owners updated the building to stay current. In April 1964, the Rank Organisation renamed the New Victoria as the Odeon, making it part of their national chain. People in Edinburgh kept coming for everything from big Hollywood movies to family favourites.
Former Odeon Cinema, Edinburgh – photographed on 25/01/2024
The Odeon becomes a music venue
In 1978, the owners expanded the stage and redesigned the auditorium to better accommodate live shows.
The Odeon hosted many concerts and touring acts, adding to its long history as an entertainment venue.
But like many big city cinemas, it eventually lost out as people’s habits changed. Multiplexes had more screens, easier parking, and newer facilities, so fewer people came. The Odeon closed in 2003, ending over seventy years of entertainment.
More than twenty years later, the building is still waiting for a new use. Even though there have been various ideas over the years, this impressive old cinema remains empty. It stands as a reminder of Edinburgh’s golden age of cinema, when thousands gathered under its bright lights for nights of music, laughter, and new films.
Hopefully, one day, people will fill this remarkable building with life and sound again.
Some bands who played the Odeon
- WHITESNAKE – Wednesday, 07 October 1979
- CAMEL – Tuesday 23 October 1979
- THE KINKS – Saturday 23 January 1979
- BUZZCOCKS with JOY DIVISION – Saturday 06 October 1979
- WINGS – Saturday 15 December 1979
- IGGY POP and THE STOOGES – Wednesday 06 February 1980
- SIMPLE MINDS – Friday 31 October 1980
- TOYAH WILCOX – Friday 29 May 1981
- DURAN DURAN – Monday 06 July 1981
- GILLAN – Saturday 07 November 1981
For a comprehensive listing of Odeon gigs see the excellent Edinburgh Gig Archive.
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