Win tickets to Weston’s reopened historic cinema

The former Odeon building begins its new life as the Plaza, after it was taken over by Merlin Cinemas in August.

As well as new releases such as Wonka, Wish, and Napoleon, the seasonal Christmas Crackers programme includes classic family films such as Elf and Home Alone.

The much-loved Compton organ, one of a few originally installed Compton organs still working in commercially operated cinemas in the UK today, remains at The Plaza. There will be special screenings with organ preludes. 

Tickets start from just £4 and there will be regular parent and baby, subtitled, and relaxed (autism-friendly) screenings. Merlin’s Movie Magic card makes it even better value.

For more details about what’s on, visit the website, sign up for the email newsletter or follow the team on Facebook.

The Plaza is Weston's second cinema, joining the modern eight-screen multiplex Cineworld which opened in 2018.

North Somerset’s other independent cinema is The Curzon Cinema and Arts in Clevedon, which is the oldest, continually running, purpose-built, independent cinema in the country. This magnificent Grade II listed building was saved from closure in 1996 thanks largely to local support.

The Backwell Playhouse also runs a film club for members each year between October and May.

Win free tickets

To celebrate the opening of The Plaza, we’ve teamed up with Merlin Cinemas to give Life readers the chance to win free tickets.

We’ve got five pairs of tickets to give away. Just answer this following question:

• The new Wonka film is a prequal to Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and The Chocolate Factory’ novel. Dahl attended boarding school in Weston-super-Mare for four years. What was the name of the school?

Email your answer to action@merlincinemas.co.uk before Wednesday (20 December) to be in with the chance of being selected.

Funding to help restore historic cinema building

Funding has been secured to help restore the Plaza cinema building.

Our planning team recently granted permission for improvements to be carried out to the façade of this Grade II listed building.

Renovation works are being funded thanks to a partnership between Merlin Cinemas, Historic England and the UK government’s Levelling Up Fund, and will be delivered as part of our Weston-super-Mare High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) Shopfront Enhancement Scheme.

This is the seventh project within that scheme but the first to include support from the Levelling Up Fund.

Work will include:

• specialist cleaning of the cream and black tiled exterior
• repairing the three former retail kiosks either side of the entrance and installing new glazed and timber shopfronts, and
• repairing some damage caused by Storm Eunice in February 2022.

The landmark building, designed by Thomas Cecil Howitt, opened as The Odeon in 1935.

It has played a major part in the story of 20th century Weston with many global artists performing there, including The Beatles sixty years ago in 1963.