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Eighty-five years on from its grand opening, a once-adored cinema is in line to get a new lease of life as part of a major city centre revamp .

The former Odeon cinema, along with a number of buildings in the East Pilgrim Street area, have been earmarked for a large-scale spruce-up by Newcastle City Council .

While specific details have not yet been finalised, it is understood that the whole area north of Market Street has been allocated for retail developments as an ‘extension’ to the city’s main shopping hub, Northumberland Street.

It means shops could fill current empty units, bolstering Newcastle’s retail offering.

The area south of Market Street could become offices, residential and student accommodation, and leisure facilities.

And the entire project - made up as part of the East Pilgrim Street Development Framework - would see the once-bustling Old Odeon made the centrepiece of the regeneration.

Councillor Ged Bell, cabinet member for investment and development at the city council, said: “East Pilgrim Street represents one of the most strategically important areas of the city centre, and we want to make sure that we create the conditions to stimulate development and unlock investment by taking a comprehensive and coordinated approach, whilst preserving and retaining its unique historic assets.

“The Odeon block is identified as a key site within our plans for stimulating the redevelopment of this area.”

Consultation on the plans will end on Thursday, after which the council will review the submissions and potentially amend them. They will be put before cabinet in the Autumn.

Although the draft plan is still to be finalised, it is designed to form a base and act as guidance to developers hoping to bring new investment in the area.

Coun Bell added: “Within these proposals retail-led development has been earmarked for the northern part of East Pilgrim Street given its proximity to the heart of the city’s shopping centre, providing opportunities to further extend this.

“The central and southern areas will be developed for mixed uses including office, residential and leisure.”

The former cinema started life as The Paramount back in 1931 – a state-of-the-art picture palace which seated 2,602 people.

In 1939, the Paramount was bought out by the Odeon chain and continued to pull in the punters over the decades until audiences began to decline as people’s leisure time tastes changed.

In November 2002 the final credits rolled, and The Odeon relocated to The Gate on Newgate Street, before becoming the Empire.