• In 1937 the Odeon cinema was built, opening on the 2nd September 1937, by Councillor G. C Hall, J.P
• In 1973 the 1500 seat theatre was split into 3 screens – 544 seats in screen 1 and 110 seats in screens 2 and 3.
• In 1987 the Odeon celebrated its 50th anniversary.
• In 1987 it had a £70,000 refurbishment with a computerised advanced booking service and 20 executive seats.
• In August 1988, the foyer area was re-opened with its new self-service sweet shop.
• On 23 November 1991, the Odeon closed due to the competitive 11 screen new Showcase cinema in Fengate. The building remained dilapidated for 10 years.
• In 1996 Peter Boizot MBE privately funded a project to build a multi-purpose entertainment venue. He bought the neighbouring ‘Shelton’s’ building and decided to join and develop the two buildings together.
• In 1997 Peter Boizot restored and modernised the former Odeon building into a cinema, theatre/concert and conference room.
• In 2001 the Broadway building opened.

Architecture:

The Odeon cost £50,000 to build and was 18.3m (60ft) high by 48.8m (160ft) in length by 31.1m (102ft) wide. It embodied in the design the most advanced principles of cinema-theatre construction. The theme of the decoration playing a very prominent part, each colouring being studied individually and collectively.

250 local men worked on night and day shifts to complete the building work to the high standards of the Odeon Theatres Ltd which were already established throughout the country. All building materials, where possible were British.

The front facade and portion of the sides were light cream coloured faience tiles. Neon tubing in red and green picked out the bold lines of the elevation.

Terrazzo steps led to the main entrance. Each step had 2,500 tiny mosaic portions, which were worked on by 6 Italian workmen. The interior carpet was Super Wilton, manufactured especially for Odeon cinemas.

The interiors colourings were peach and amber. The facing was emphasised with fibrous plastered troughs picked out in gold. The troughs were lit by strip lighting and the fibrous plaster grills allowed the air into the theatre.

There were 560 red plush cross-velvet seats with sponge-rubber arms in the balcony and 1,100 in the pit.

The air conditioning plant was able to produce 750 cubic feet of clean air per person per minute. The lighting in the auditorium is semi concealed by means of fibrous plaster coves and by direct lighting in the sidewalls and the balcony. Emergency lighting was battery operated and could provide 3 hours of lighting if necessary. 2 large boilers provided heating and fire prevention apparatus was fitted to local standards.

The technical equipment used had only been on the market for 5 months prior. British Thomson Houston was the make of the talkie equipment and the B.T.H supplied the 2 projectors, which made it easier to change the screening from one to another. The stage was also spot lit.

The front stage had a depth of 4.3 (14ft) from the screen with the stage and borders dressed in green velvet. An orchestra pit for 50 musicians was seated below.

The attendants were local girls who had to wear an Odeon military-type style green uniform.

Adjoining to the back of the cinema was a car park, assisted by uniformed attendants, which accommodated 100 cars for Odeon patrons. The car park was flood-lit at night.

The restored Broadway theatre is a careful restoration of the original 1930s modern auditorium, including purpose designed carpets and fabrics, with contemporary front of house and backstage facilities.

The external front façade of the building has been completely restored with a new large planar glazed extension and the remainder has been re-clad in white and blue glass mosaic. Below are 5 glass double doors that open into the foyer. The original plaster double curved ceiling has been repaired and 2 new lighting bridge slots formed within it.

The oak veneered panelled sidewalls and balcony have been re-coloured using the original styling of the Odeon.

The auditorium is 2 tiered with a separate disabled terrace in the lower circle, with removable chairs. It incorporates 1200 new seats with the first 6 removable rows.

The ground floor entrance foyer has been enlarge and remodelled by using the original space from the back of the auditorium with a new sales and ticket counter.

The Broadway joins on both the ground and first floor the 'Gaston Bar' and restaurant.

The large Cinema screen 15m (49.2ft) wide by 7.5m (24.6ft) high can be moved from its 'play' position in the proscenium backwards into 'home' position. This enables the screen to move quickly between cinema and live productions. A special acoustic panel covers the screen as not to affect the sound or musical quality.

When there is a live event on, the Broadway offers a 15m (49.2ft) wide by 9.6m (31.5ft) deep thrust stage with adjustable house border, 2 full sets of drapery in black and silver and a set of electrically operated house tabs. There is no fly tower, but 3 line shaft winches have been installed for flying lightweight scenery. There are also various hanging points and a mixture of manual and electric chain hoists, which will enable incoming companies to fly their own trussing etc.

At the front of the forestage, a lift has been included. This has been designed for raising a cinema organ, although it does offer the facility for moving equipment in to storage under the stage.

For the acoustics a compromise had to be found between cinema, which requires a very dead auditorium, and live performance, which requires a brighter acoustic. Containment has been provided for an acoustic control system that could be added at a later date to improve the acoustics of the auditorium for classical performances.

The furnishing of the Broadway has been decorated with or close to the original Art Deco features. The carpets are orange, beige, brown, black weave.

The building has been completely gutted of all its original systems and wiring and replaced with the state of the art technical equipment and lighting.

The conference room 'The Broadway Suite', 5,000 square foot can hold 400 people. It has a raised stage for presentations and a state of the around sound system.

During the refurbishment the rear of the building was extended to accommodate backstage facilities and additional space for heating, ventilation and storage. There are 4 dressing rooms - 2 single and 2 double with showers and toilets. There is also a large green room for artists and an office space for touring company/road manager use.

Social history:

• The street 'Broadway' in previous years had 2 theatres as well as the Odeon Cinema. In 1878, to the left of the Odeon, The Grand (the Little Theatre/Theatre Royal/The Empire) a Victoria Venue opened and was Peterborough entertainment centre for more than 7 decades.
• There were 7 other cinemas in Peterborough when the Odeon opened - the Broadway, City, Gem, New England, Odeon, Palace, Princess and Savoy.
• The Odeon manager was Mr. W. Smith who was formerly manager of the Regal Cinema.
• Each seat, irrelevant of positioning was charged at an equal price.
• Mr Peter Boizot is a local Peterborough born businessman and personally invested his own money to hold onto the nostalgia of his childhood at the Odeon.
• The Rank Organisation initially rejected Mr Boizot rejuvenation plan for the cinema. It was favoured for a better cash offer from developers planning to build a car park.
• The Chairman of the Odeon and Managing Director of Odeon Theatres Ltd was Mr. Oscar Deutsch. Mr W.G. Elcock F.C.A was also a Director. Mr Stanley Bates joined Mr Oscar Deutsch in the creation of the chain of Odeon theatres.
• Mrs Oscar Deutsch, the wife of the M D, was responsible for interior design of the cinema. No one Odeon cinema was similar.
• The film "Fire Over Broadway" was the first film shown at the Odeon.
• In 1981 the Saturday morning cinema's club stopped after 30 years due to the competition from Children's Saturday morning television. Audiences had dropped from 600 to 130.
• In 1987 to celebrate the Odeon's 50th anniversary it showed Kim Basinger and Bruce Willis's 'Blind Date'. Sir Brian Mawhinney, the City mayor and mayoress, Rex and Margaret Perkins announced the film. Michael Caine and Sir Richard Attenborough also sent congratulatory telegrams.
• In 1995, with support from the Herald and Post, Mr Boizot campaign was successful and renovation began.
• The new Broadway Theatre cost £9m, can hold 1191 people and has the largest screen outside London.
• The film "Pearl Harbour" screened at the official launch of the Broadway Theatre.
• The Broadway has won numerous awards; including the Judges Select Scheme in British Construction Industry Awards 2002, and Commendation in Civic Trust Awards 2003.