Property giant Hammerson has announced plans to add an Odeon to its Bristol Cabot Circus shopping centre. The agreement will see the UK’s largest cinema brand opening a big screen within the complex next year.
It comes a year after the closure of Showcase Cinema de Lux which at the time was the city’s biggest multiplex cinema with 14 screens. It had operated within Cabot Circus since the shopping centre’s opening in 2008, but was shut last November.
Hammerson said at the time they were “committed” to having a large cinema as part of the shopping centre. The firm carried out a customer survey earlier this year and found that a new cinema was the leisure experience most requested by visitors to Cabot Circus.
Toby Tait, director of asset management at Hammerson, said: “Cabot Circus is proud of its record providing Bristol with a leading cinema which acts as a key draw to both our destination and the wider city centre.
“This new partnership with Odeon is the culmination of months of hard work to select the best operator and bring the latest technology and experience into a completely renewed cinema venue. It adds to our growing line-up of restaurants and entertainment venues, specifically introduced to boost day and night experiences at Cabot Circus in the heart of Bristol.”
The news follows a string of recent deals between Hammerson and leisure operators for Cabot Circus, including King Pins Bowl which will open its 16,500 sq ft gaming venue next year. Meanwhile, Treetop Golf – an immersive golfing experience – is opening in December.
A number of food outlets are also set to open, including popular gastronomical concept Six by Nico and poke bowl chain Honi Poke, which chose Cabot Circus as one of its first sites outside London.
Other retail signings include Marks & Spencer, which is marking a return to the city centre; Inditex-owned clothing brand Stradivarius; leisure outlet Lids; and H&M, which recently celebrated a year since opening its home store within the shopping centre.