Kettering Odeon demolition gets go ahead
It comes despite local opposition, with over 2000 people signing a petition to keep it open.
Demolition plans for Kettering’s only cinema have been green-lit by North Northamptonshire Council (NNC), despite massive numbers of people coming together in an attempt to save the venue.
The applicant Rockmount Kettering Limited said in planning documents that the town’s Odeon, located in the eastern part of Kettering Leisure Park, would be vacating the property in February 2025 and that continued operation of a cinema in the building “is not a viable or feasible proposition”.
David Hugh Meagher who set up the petition and lives in the town told us it's a blow for the community;
"I was devastated and surprised, it will be missed, sadly sadly missed."
The disabled campaigner had pointed to the excellent facilities for disabled people at the Pegasus Court venue:
"I feel sad for the staff, for the disabled community, the disabled particularly."
Papers submitted to NNC also state that Odeon itself “declared their intention to vacate the property”, but an objection submitted by the manager alleges that they had “no intention” of closing and were being forced to vacate by landlords.
More than 2,000 people signed a petition to pledge their support for the venue and halt its closure. However, according to planning documents only five formal objections were submitted to the council’s website.
One Odeon cinema customer wrote that its demolition would be an “absolute tragedy” if approved, depriving Kettering of a cinema.
Another said: “Many older people attend this entertainment centre not merely to watch movies but to meet up with friends and fight loneliness. Travelling to other venues particularly at night is troublesome, expensive or scary.
“To close this option for the aging population is reducing significantly their ability to enjoy life. Perhaps instead of selling off this site the council could investigate expanding the options of this venue for additional entertainment possibilities.”
The council ultimately granted demolition permission at the end of last week (December 5). According to documents submitted by Rockmount Kettering Limited, works are expected to start at the beginning of March 2025 and should be completed by the end of May.
Plans reveal that the Odeon will be demolished to ‘ground slab level with a concrete, level surface’ left in situ. A separate application for permission to demolish the former Hobson’s Choice pub, which was submitted at the same time and is also located within the Leisure Park, was withdrawn by the applicant just two days before the Odeon’s demolition approval.
The clearance of the Pegasus Court cinema would leave only the pub and KFC remaining, as the demolition of two empty restaurants in the Leisure Park had already been granted in July 2024.
According to a cover letter submitted by the Augur Group, the remainder of the site is subject to a full planning application submitted alongside the demolition plans, which seeks consent for the demolition of existing units and the provision of open storage (B8) use across Pegasus Court. No papers containing further plans can be found.