The NEON facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newport Odeon |
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Grade II listed building
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NEON in early 2016
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Art deco architecture |
| Town or city | Barnardtown, Newport |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°35′29″N 2°59′26″W / 51.591474°N 2.990636°W |
| Completed | 1938 |
| Renovated | 2003 |
| Client | Odeon Cinemas |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Harry Weedon |
The former Newport Odeon, now known as The NEON, is a large and important building in Newport, South Wales. It's so special that it's a Grade II listed building. This means it's protected because of its history and unique design.
You can find The NEON in the east part of Newport city centre. It's right where Clarence Place and Chepstow Road meet. The building is a great example of Art Deco architecture in Newport. Art Deco is a cool, stylish design from the 1920s and 1930s. It often uses geometric shapes and bold lines.
Contents
A Look Back: The NEON's Story
From Cinema to Music Venue
The building first opened its doors in March 1938. Back then, it was a big Odeon cinema. A famous architect named Harry Weedon designed it. People would go there to watch all the latest films.
The cinema closed in 1981. After that, the building became empty and rundown for many years. There was even a chance it might be torn down. But in 1999, it was officially made a Grade II listed building. This protection helped save it from being demolished.
New Owners and New Life
After the cinema closed, the ground floor of the building was used as a snooker hall for a while. Then, in 2003, a local couple bought the building. They spent over £1 million to make it new again! They renamed it the Newport City Live Arena.
This new venue had a huge TV screen. It was perfect for watching live sports events. It also had a stage where many famous music acts performed.
The NEON Today
The building was sold again and updated in 2016. It reopened in February of that year. This time, it became a place for live music and showing classic movies. It was given its current name, The NEON.
The name "The NEON" is a clever play on the original "Odeon" name. "Odeon" came from "Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation." "NEON" stands for "Newport Entertains Our Nation." Today, two businessmen, Ian Gilland and Andrew James Byers, own and run The NEON.
Big Meetings and Events
Political Gatherings
In 2019, The NEON hosted a very large meeting. Over 1,000 people came to hear speakers from a political group. Important figures like Nigel Farage and Ann Widdecombe spoke to their supporters. This event happened before the 2019 European Parliament elections. It showed how The NEON can be a place for big community events.
See also
- Odeon Newport, history at cinematreasures
- The Neon - Newport's favourite entertainment venue
