Cinema chain鈥檚 Brummie founder slogan 鈥淥scar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation鈥� will adorn the front of the building
Proposals for a facelift at cinema chain Odeon鈥檚 flagship Leicester Square theatre have been approved by Westminster council.
The plans from Ellis Williams Architects include a structural glass first-floor extension to the art deco building鈥檚 lobby bar providing an additional 40m2 of space with views out over the square.
The cinema鈥檚 canopy will also be replaced, with its successor emblazoned with the illuminated words 鈥淥scar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation鈥�, in a historical to reference to the slogan used by the Odeon chain鈥檚 Brummie founder, Oscar Deutsch.
Inside the cinema, a new internal glazed lift would be created in addition to other alterations.
Ellis Williams said the Odeon鈥檚 external advertising and signage would be 鈥渞efined鈥� with the paper billboard being removed 鈥� in a move the practice said would reduce the need for regular maintenance access from the space where the glazed-box bar expansion would be.
鈥淲ith just one digital billboard each side of the glazed element, the building will present a more legible and balanced fa莽ade,鈥� it said. 鈥淔urthermore the number of TV-sized digital posters will be reduced.鈥�
The practice鈥檚 concept designs for the facelift show a new large digital screen above the bar extension.
Recommending the plans for councillors鈥� approval, Westminster planning officers said no objections had been received to the proposals, and that the Westminster Society actively supported them as an 鈥渋mportant improvement鈥� to the streetscape.
鈥淭he scheme reduces the amount of dead frontage and brings the various entrances and their signage into an order that complements the refurbished ground floor foyer,鈥� they said.
鈥淥verall, the proposals are welcomed as they are considered to preserve and enhance the character of the existing building as well as the character and appearance of the Leicester Square Conservation Area.鈥�
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