Derelict Bradford Odeon is now star of the show

AN EXHIBITION is to be held in Bradford to celebrate the heritage and history of one of its most iconic buildings, currently under threat of demolition.

Bradford Odeon, which once staged concerts by some of the world’s biggest musicians, has lain derelict for more than a decade and is due to be levelled in favour of a controversial hotel and apartments complex.

Now campaigners battling to save the building are calling upon the public to share their memories via the medium of art.

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The Odeon Uncovered exhibition – a name acknowledging that the building is currently wrapped in plastic – will open on September 8 at the South Square Centre in Thornton before moving to a city centre gallery.

Built in 1929, the Odeon has served as a cinema, theatre and concert venue – hosting performances from The Beatles and the Rolling Stones during the 1960s.

Matthew Shaw, a member of the Bradford Odeon Rescue Group (BORG), told the Yorkshire Post: “The clock is ticking on the building’s future, we just do not know how long it is going to tick for. People in the background are continuing to lobby the developer and council get some action on it.”

The movement to save the Odeon from demolition by developer Langtree has enjoyed widespread support, with thousands signing a petition calling for it to be retained. So far, David Hockney, Alan Bennett, Barbara Windsor and Channel 4’s Restoration Man, George Clarke have all backed the campaign.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the exhibition is asked to email [email protected].