Art deco glamour. Community spirit. Seriously good popcorn.
There are cinemas – and then there’s The Odyssey.
Housed in a beautifully restored 1930s art deco building, this St Albans treasure isn’t just a place to watch films – it’s an experience. All plush seats, glowing lights and sharing platters, it’s the kind of venue that wraps you in velvet and makes you feel like part of something special.
Jez remembers when it was The Odeon – with smoking on the right, non-smoking on the left, queuing up the road and a trip to the flicks feeling like a proper occasion.
These days, The Odyssey is all community energy and indie spirit, proudly local while screening the very best in film from around the world.
We love it for a thousand reasons – its role in supporting young local film lovers with jobs and experience, its lovingly curated programme, its glorious bar snacks (we see you, hummus platter), and its place at the heart of the city.
It’s a space for date nights, matinees, cult classics and “I’ve been meaning to see that” viewings. It’s cinematic escapism – but with a familiar face tearing your ticket and a cocktail in your hand.
At EYES on St Albans, we support The Odyssey because it’s part of the soul of the city – nostalgic and forward-thinking in equal measure. And yes… it really is that iconic.
Some places feel like the very fabric of St Albans. The Odyssey is one of them.
