Odeon Scarborough: New cinema operator revealed for Brunswick Shopping Centre redevelopment

Plans for a new multi-screen cinema at the site were first announced back in December 2022 by real estate giant Scarborough Group International, whose chairman Kevin McCabe is based in the town.

It has now been confirmed that Odeon will be the intended operator of the cinema as part of a wider regeneration of the centre which will involve it becoming “leisure-led” with a mix of local restaurants and bars alongside national chains.

An SGI spokesperson said vacant units at the shopping centre are already being stripped out, with it hoped construction on the regeneration project can begin in early 2025 and the revamped site opening in 2027.

That would mark almost 40 years since Odeon last had a presence in Scarborough, with it previously having a cinema in the town between 1936 to 1988 where the Stephen Joseph Theatre now stands.

When the Brunswick regeneration plans were first announced in 2022, it had been hoped that the cinema could open by the end of this year but lease negotiations took longer than expected.

North Yorkshire Council has recently announced it is conducting a feasibility study to assess what level of public funding may go towards helping the redevelopment project.

SGI will launch the next phase of its letting strategy at Completely Retail Marketplace, the UK’s premier retail, leisure and hospitality event, which is taking place in London on September 24.

Mark Jackson, spokesperson for SGI, said: "Bringing Odeon back to Scarborough after an absence of more than three decades is a key milestone in our vision to transform the Brunswick Centre into a premier leisure-led destination.

“With Odeon Luxe, residents and visitors will no longer have to travel over an hour to York for a premium cinema experience, bringing greater convenience and entertainment options right to their doorstep.

“Once complete, the transformed Brunswick Centre will fill some obvious gaps in the leisure and entertainment offer in the town but, critically, will also be a catalyst for the further economic regeneration of the town centre.”

Local politicians have welcomed the confirmation of Odeon’s role in the redevelopment scheme.

North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for community development, Nic Harne, said: “A new cinema will be great news for Scarborough. We look forward to seeing the Scarborough Group and other partners bringing this complex regeneration project to fruition.”

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, added: “I am delighted to see that the relaunch of the Brunswick Shopping Centre is well underway, and Odeon Luxe has today been revealed as the focal point for this revamped, leisure-led experience for Scarborough to enjoy.

“Our high streets have been through a challenging time, and we need to support them to change and adapt. Developments like these fit in with our ambitions to build vibrant and sustainable places fit for the future.

“This development will benefit both residents and tourists and we believe this will be a catalyst for further regeneration, which we are already seeing with the expansion of many nationally significant businesses that are headquartered in Scarborough.”

The Brunswick shopping centre, which opened in 1990 and attracted an annual average footfall of seven million at its peak, has been struggling in recent times following anchor tenant Debenhams closing its store in May 2021.

Real estate giant Scarborough Group International, whose chairman Kevin McCabe is based in the town, acquired the shopping centre in September 2021.