The cinema, George Street, Oxford

Former Cinema, George Street, Oxford

Odeon Cinema, George Street
The Odeon Cinema in George Street, Oxford,
photographed on 29 January 2025, the day after it closed for ever

The first cinema in George Street (1912–1935)

In 1912 the Oxford Cinematograph Theatre opened in George Street on the site of the former Lisemore's store, which was three doors to the west of Gloucester Street and immediately to the east of St George's Place: a photograph of Oxford's new Picture Palace appeared in the Oxford Journal Illustrated of 20 March 1912, and one of its interior a week later. .

It was replaced in 1935 by the larger cinema shown above, which was on the other side of St George's Place.

The second cinema in George Street (1935–2025)

(closed permanently on 28 January 2025 and demolished in 2026)

On 1 June 1934 the following report was published in the Oxford Times:

A new cinema is to be built on the site of the Employment Exchange in George Street by Union Cinemas Ltd. The new cinema will have a frontage of 140 feet to George Street.

The “employment exchange” was in fact the massive St George-the-Martyr Chapel, which following its closure in 1919 had been used by the Ministry of Labour men‘s department. The new cinema occupied its site from St George's Place westwards as far as the Fire Station.

The new cinema was designed for Union Cinemas by Robert Cromie, who specialized in the design of theatres and cinemas.

The photograph below shows the cinema when it was new (Historic England BB87/03857):

Another photograph dating from the 1930s (Picture Oxon 0097186) shows more of the cinema, with the name RITZ prominent on the corner edge and a large sign underneath proclaiming that its café was open to the public.

In April 1963 the auditorium of the Ritz was destroyed by fire, but it was reopened by Associated British Cinemas in October 1963 as the ABC and was split into three auditoria in 1975.

In the late 1980s it was the Cannon Cinema, and then it was briefly MGM before being taken over by ABC again following a management buy-out

In 2000 it was taken over by Odeon Theatres and was the Odeon from 2000 until its closure in 2024.

More information from “Cinema Treasures”

The names and owners of this cinema

1935–1936: Oxford & Berkshire Cinemas Ltd [Union Cinemas Ltd]: Ritz
1938–1945: Union Cinemas Ltd: Ritz
1947–1963:Associated British Cinemas Ltd: Ritz
1963–1976: Associated British Cinemas Ltd: ABC

1986–1990s: Cannon
1995: MGM (briefly)
c.1997: ABC again
2000–2025: Odeon

The sculpture on the outside of the old cinema

The bas-relief figure of Sabrina (shown below) that faced east high over the main entrance of the cinema was designed by the sculptor Newbury Abbot Trent (1885–1953):

Sculpture on the side of the cinema, Dec 2024

This bas-relief is being preserved and its proposed position in the new building has been changed by an amendment (24/01481/NMA) to the original planning permission to make it a public-facing heritage feature. It will now be sited in the North Elevation ground floor (initially located in the Community Space), with preservation details aligned to Planning Condition 7 (24/01481/CND).

The end of the cinema, and the Apart-Hotel

Demolition of Odeon cinema

Odeon Cinemas leased the building from the owners, Oxford City Council, but when their lease ran out in September 2024 they decided not to renew it. The cinema closed down on 28 January 2025 and demolition took place in the autumn of 2026.

The City Council has agreed a 40-year lease with Makespace Oxford, a not-for-profit organisation, with a view to replacing the cinema with 6½-storey, 145-bed StayCity “apart-hotel” (where guests will have their own cooking facilities in addition to bedrooms and bathrooms). Half of the ground floor will be a community space.

The project is being managed by Marick Real Estate Ltd, which hosted a one-day exhibition at the Old Fire Station in May 2024.