Odeon commits to Brunswick Centre redevelopment
Europe’s largest cinema chain will anchor the leisure-led project in the North Yorkshire town that gave project developer Scarborough Group International its name.
With an Odeon Luxe multiscreen destination now confirmed, SGI will launch the next phase of its letting strategy at trade show Completely Retail Marketplace this month.
Odeon had previously operated in Scarborough between 1936 and 1988, 300m from the Brunswick Centre, where the Stephen Joseph Theatre now stands.
- Read Place Yorkshire’s interview with Scarborough Group chairman Kevin McCabe, whose new book Mucky Boots, is out onw.
Once complete, the new Brunswick development will offer 20 units ranging from 250 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft across three floors, with national and regional restaurant brands and leisure operators targeted, along with kiosks and shared spaces for independent local F&B operators.
The announcement follows North Yorkshire Council’s recent decision to approve a budget to start work on reviewing its potential support for the project.
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.”
SGI bought the Brunswick Shopping Centre in September 2021, revealing its plans to transform it into a leisure-led destination the next year, the plans being approved in March 2023.
Through subsidiaries, Odeon operates 360 cinemas across Europe, with more than 2,900 screens.
