Leicester Athena
Leicester Athena is a Grade II-listed cultural and events venue in Leicester, England, converted from a historic Odeon cinema.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Leicester Athena is an events, conferencing and banqueting venue in Leicester's Cultural Quarter. The venue occupies a Grade II-listed building that was originally designed as an Odeon cinema in the 1930s. Its architectural identity is closely associated with Streamline Moderne design, including decorative terracotta panels featuring mermaids that were hand-moulded by William Neatby at the Lambeth premises of Doulton and Co. The building was designed by Robert Arthur Bullivant and was constructed in 1936. Although the cinema was built in that year, the Odeon formally opened to the public on 28 July 1938 with a screening of A Slight Case of Murder. At opening, the auditorium accommodated 2,182 people, with 1,307 seats in the stalls and 875 in the upper circle. It was initially one of the largest and most elaborate cinema buildings in the region. The former cinema was progressively subdivided as cinema exhibition patterns changed. In 1974, the original auditorium was converted into a three-screen complex. The main screen used the circle and front stalls and seated 1,237 people, while two smaller screens were created beneath the circle in the rear stalls, seating 123 and 111 respectively. A fourth screen was added in 1988 by converting the remaining front stalls into a 401-seat auditorium. The original Odeon closed on 16 July 1997, following the opening of a twelve-screen Odeon multiplex at Freemans Park. The building received Grade II listed status in August 1997, protecting it from unauthorised alteration or demolition. It subsequently remained vacant for much of the period between the cinema's closure and its restoration. After restoration and conversion, the building reopened in 2005 under the Leicester Athena identity as a multi-discipline venue for corporate, social and cultural events. Its offer includes conferencing, banqueting, awards ceremonies, live entertainment and other large-scale gatherings. The restored historic auditorium and the building's architectural character are central to its positioning as a distinctive alternative to purpose-built modern conference venues. Since reopening, Athena has hosted performers and touring entertainment including Olly Murs, Kasabian, Oliver Mtukudzi, X Factor live shows, Roy Chubby Brown and Jim Davidson. The venue has also competed in the UK events industry awards sector. It received a Silver award at the 2017 Awards Awards for Best Awards Venue and was a finalist in The Drum UK Event Awards that year. In 2018, it received a Silver award at the National Venue Awards for Best Awards Ceremony Venue and won the Best Event Venue for 500–1000 Guests category.
History
Leicester Athena occupies a building with a long history as one of Leicester's major entertainment properties. Designed by Robert Arthur Bullivant in the Streamline Moderne style, the structure was built in 1936 as an Odeon cinema. Its decorative scheme included hand-moulded terracotta panels depicting mermaids, produced by William Neatby at Doulton and Co.'s Lambeth premises. These features contributed to the building's architectural distinction and later helped support its preservation as a heritage property. The cinema opened publicly on 28 July 1938 with a screening of A Slight Case of Murder. The original auditorium held 2,182 people, divided between 1,307 seats in the stalls and 875 in the upper circle. This large single-screen arrangement reflected the scale and prestige of pre-war cinema buildings, when cinemas served as prominent public entertainment and architectural landmarks. Changing cinema economics and programming requirements led to the auditorium's subdivision in 1974. The former single screen became a three-screen cinema: the principal screen used the circle and front stalls and seated 1,237, while two smaller screens were installed beneath the circle in the rear stalls. In 1988, a fourth screen was created by converting the remaining front stalls into a 401-seat auditorium. The cinema closed on 16 July 1997 after a twelve-screen Odeon multiplex opened at Freemans Park. The building was Grade II listed in August of the same year. Listing gave the former cinema formal protection against unauthorised modification or demolition, an important step given that it subsequently remained empty for much of the 1990s and the period leading up to its redevelopment. A restoration and adaptive-reuse project transformed the former cinema into a multi-discipline events venue. The building reopened in 2005 as Leicester Athena. Rather than continuing as a conventional cinema, the restored property was repositioned for corporate and social events, including conferences, banquets, awards ceremonies, private functions and live entertainment. Its historic scale and retained architectural details provide the venue with a character distinct from a standard hotel conference room or modern exhibition centre. Since the reopening, Athena has hosted a range of performers and live shows, including Olly Murs, Kasabian, Oliver Mtukudzi, X Factor live events, Roy Chubby Brown and Jim Davidson. The venue has also developed recognition within the events sector. In 2017 it received a Silver award for Best Awards Venue at the Awards Awards and became a finalist at The Drum UK Event Awards. In 2018 it earned another Silver award at the National Venue Awards for Best Awards Ceremony Venue and won the Best Event Venue for 500–1000 Guests category. These recognitions reflect its continuing role as a Leicester venue for substantial corporate, ceremonial and entertainment events.
- 2018
National Venue Awards success
[1]The venue received Silver recognition for Best Awards Ceremony Venue and won Best Event Venue for 500–1000 Guests.
- 2017
Events-industry award recognition
[1]Athena received a Silver Awards Awards distinction for Best Awards Venue and was a finalist at The Drum UK Event Awards.
- 2005
Building reopens as Leicester Athena
[1]Following restoration and conversion, the former cinema reopened as a multi-discipline corporate, social and cultural events venue.
- 1997
Odeon closes and building receives listed status
[1]The cinema closed on 16 July after a new multiplex opened at Freemans Park. The building was Grade II listed in August.
- 1988
Fourth cinema screen added
[1]The remaining front stalls were converted into a fourth screen seating 401 people.
- 1974
Auditorium subdivided into three screens
[1]The original auditorium was reconfigured into a main 1,237-seat screen and two smaller screens.
- 1938
Odeon cinema opens
[1]The cinema opened on 28 July with A Slight Case of Murder and a reported capacity of 2,182 seats.
- 1936
Former Odeon cinema building constructed
[1]The building that later became Leicester Athena was designed by Robert Arthur Bullivant and constructed in the Streamline Moderne style.
Products and positioning
A distinctive Leicester events venue combining a restored, architecturally significant former cinema with conference, banqueting, corporate, awards and live-entertainment capabilities.
Business events · 2005
Conference and meeting venue hire
Athena provides space for conferences, meetings and other organised business gatherings. The venue's large former cinema structure allows it to serve events requiring a substantial audience area while retaining the visual character of a restored historic building.
Hospitality and events · 2005
Banqueting and private functions
The venue operates as a setting for banquets, social functions, celebrations and private events. Its adaptive-reuse format combines event infrastructure with the atmosphere and scale of a former cinema auditorium.
Ceremonial events · 2005
Awards ceremonies
Awards ceremonies are a significant part of Athena's venue positioning. Its recognition in awards-venue categories and its capacity for events serving approximately 500–1000 guests support its use for formal presentations and industry ceremonies.
Entertainment venue · 2005
Live entertainment
Since reopening, Athena has hosted concerts, touring performers and live shows. Reported acts and events have included Olly Murs, Kasabian, Oliver Mtukudzi, X Factor live shows, Roy Chubby Brown and Jim Davidson.
Brand decisions
2005
Adaptive reuse as a multi-discipline events venueStrategyBackground
After the Odeon closed and the building spent years vacant, its listed status and historic architecture supported a preservation-led redevelopment.
Action taken
The restored building reopened under the Leicester Athena identity for corporate, social, cultural and entertainment events rather than cinema exhibition.
Aftermath
Athena became an active Leicester venue for conferences, banquets, awards ceremonies, private functions and live performances.
1988
Addition of a fourth cinema screenGeneration changeBackground
Further changes to the former auditorium created an opportunity to expand the cinema's screen count.
Action taken
The remaining front stalls were converted into a 401-seat fourth screen.
Aftermath
The cinema operated with four screens until its closure in 1997.
1974
Conversion from a single-screen to a three-screen cinemaGeneration changeBackground
The original Odeon auditorium was reconfigured as cinema operators adopted smaller screens and more flexible programming formats.
Action taken
The auditorium was subdivided into one 1,237-seat principal screen and two smaller screens seating 123 and 111.
Aftermath
The building continued operating as a cinema with a more diversified screen configuration.
Recent events
- 2018
Leicester Athena wins National Venue Award for 500–1000 guest events[1]
Other
Athena won the Best Event Venue for 500–1000 Guests category at the National Venue Awards.
- 2018
Athena receives National Venue Awards recognition for ceremonies[1]
Other
The venue received a Silver award for Best Awards Ceremony Venue at the National Venue Awards.
- 2017
Leicester Athena receives Silver award for Best Awards Venue[1]
Other
Athena received a Silver award in the Best Awards Venue category at the Awards Awards.
- 2017
Athena named finalist at The Drum UK Event Awards[1]
Other
The Leicester venue was selected as a finalist in The Drum UK Event Awards.
Sources2 sources
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