Disabled man ‘barred from cinema’ for complaining about state of Odeon
Regulars feel picture house is run down since decision to close it next year
Thursday, 11th September — By Caitlin Maskell
Brian Leach outside the Parkway Odeon
A DISABLED man says he’s been told that he’s barred from the Odeon cinemas after complaining about the state of its venue in Camden Town.
Film enthusiast Brian Leach helps a group of other disabled people he met in day centres to have regular outings to the Odeon in Parkway, Camden Town.
There are cheaper tickets made available to them on Mondays. But since the chain confirmed it was closing the branch early next year, he said the picture house has been left to crumble.
He said: “With my condition I don’t get out of the house much, so the cinema is really one of the only times I might get out of the house. The place used to be clean, you could talk with ushers before a film, and now there aren’t any ushers manning the auditoriums.
“No one cleans up after the screenings and the cinema doesn’t have a nominated security guard. The cinemas are also pitch black which is not the same in other Odeons before a picture starts making it very hard for the elderly or disabled to safely find their seats.
“Last week, I found what looked like old elevator machinery dumped in the disabled toilet. It shocked me.”
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The New Journal reported in June how the site and the next door bingo hall were facing the bulldozer to make way for the Camden Xchange development.
Mr Leach said that when he raised concerns with the Odeon last week, he said he was verbally barred by staff. Head office later offered the group free tickets for their trouble, although these have yet to arrive.
“I have medical disabilities myself and I’m deteriorating every week now so it’s nice to know I have the group there rather than go to the cinema on my own,” said Mr Leach, adding: “We first heard that the cinema was closing in the New Journal.
Odeon Camden themselves haven’t told any customers that they are closing, there is no notice in the cinema – they just keep quiet about it.” Odeon is also closed its cinema in Shaftesbury Avenue.
A spokesperson for Odeon said: “We take accessibility and the experience of our guests extremely seriously. We have carefully reviewed this matter and are confident we acted appropriately to support the guest’s needs. As a gesture of goodwill, we have also provided complimentary tickets.
“Odeon Camden will be closing next year, and we remain committed to ensuring all of our guests continue to have the best possible cinema experience until then.”
