One of North London's most iconic cinemas, the Odeon on Parkway in Camden Town, has announced its final closing date, bringing the curtain down on nearly nine decades of film history.
The Final Reel for a Local Landmark
The Odeon Parkway will screen its last film on 26 February 2026, management has confirmed. The site, which first opened in 1937 as the lavish Gaumont Palace, has been a fixture of the local community for generations. It was rebranded as an Odeon cinema in 1997, operating as a five-screen multiplex.
The closure paves the way for the construction of a major new mixed-use complex called Camden Xchange. The approved plans, put forward by developer Camden Vision, include 244 student flats, 49 affordable homes, and a range of ground-floor restaurants, shops, and café spaces with green landscaping.
From Cinema to Cultural Hub: The Camden Xchange Plans
While the bulk of the existing cinema building will be demolished, its distinctive Art Deco façade on Parkway will be carefully restored and preserved. The development aims to fill a "missing part of the Camden Town jigsaw," according to Camden Vision director Chris Shaw.
Part of the site, which was once a Mecca bingo hall during a 1960s downturn in cinema attendance, is designated as a leisure space. It is currently earmarked to become either a performance venue or an immersive gallery. The decision to close was described as mutual between Odeon and the landlord, with staff being offered relocation to nearby branches where possible.
A Changing Landscape for London Cinemas
The Camden closure is part of a wider trend. Odeon also shut its doors at two other London locations—Covent Garden and Surrey Quays—over the summer of 2025 due to redevelopment plans. The Surrey Quays site forms part of the larger Canada Water regeneration project.
Proposals to turn the Camden venue into a live theatre and base for Secret Cinema's immersive experiences were previously considered but shelved by late spring 2025. The council ultimately approved the current scheme following public consultation, which it states helped shape the final proposal.
Filmgoers have been notified directly by the cinema, which expressed sincere thanks for their patronage. The community now has just two months to visit the historic picture house before its final credits roll.
