AIM weighs up cinema for former Blackpool cinema

The former Odeon off Rigby Road could once again show films as landlord AIM Land explores options for the remaining space at its Bloomfield Central scheme.

Bowling company Tenpin has recently opened a branch at the Blackpool site, taking the majority of the building that was previously a cinema as part of Festival Leisure Park.

Efforts to let the remaining 14,000 sq ft to other occupiers, including food and beverage outfits, have proved unsuccessful.

The space has been considered and discounted by various padel and gym operators, mini-golf concepts, climbing venues, trampoline parks, competitive socialising brands including Flight Club, and

Now, plans have been put forward to convert some of the space into a nine-screen cinema. Separate plans to transform the same space into self storage units are also being worked up.

According to agency Barker Proudlove, these two uses are the “only live and credible occupational options” for the remaining space.

AIM, which used to trade as Austringer Capital, has already tried and failed once to bring self storage to the site. In 2024, the developer lost an appeal to convert the former Odeon into a 130,000 sq ft self storage scheme, with the planning inspector siding with Blackpool Council, which said the project would undermine efforts to regenerate the area.

To learn more about the cinema proposal, search for reference number 26/0448 on Blackpool Council’s planning portal. Savills is advising AIM on the plans.