AS Leisure World's Odeon prepares to join the ranks of Southampton's lost cinemas, the Daily Echo looks back at some of the city's former picture houses.

To many, these venues were more than simply bricks and mortar.

Each of these old cinemas housed a seemingly bottomless trove of happy memories where emotions were encouraged to run amok - from sorrow to joy, awe to contempt.

Often referred to as dream places, the old structures lived up to their name as they made fantasy and fiction a visual reality before the audience’s eyes.

READ MORE: One last look at the Odeon before it's gone for good >>>

From Gone With the Wind to Jurassic Park, The Sound of Music to Rambo - we’ve spent millions of hours watching myriad movies across a plethora of genres - the good, the bad and the ugly!

_______________________________________________________________

Forum Cinema - 127 Above Bar Street, Southampton

Opened in June 1935, this picture house changed name to ABC in 1959.

The venue, which is now Switch nightclub, closed in 1991 before becoming The Square Balloon club.

_______________________________________________________________

Odeon - 75 Above Bar, Southampton

Originally opened as Regal Cinema by Gracie Fields on June 22, 1934, the dream palace changed to Odeon on April 15, 1945.

Doors closed for the last time on September 5, 1993 after a showing of Jurassic Park.

_______________________________________________________________

Waterside Theatre - 179-181 Long Lane, Holbury

Okay, so not quite Southampton - but near enough for us to include anyway.

Built in 1950 by the Esso Petroleum Company, the theatre only screened films until 1997 at which time it changed to stage productions only.

READ MORE: Pictures from a special premiere at Odeon, Leisure World >>>

The building is awaiting demolition.

_______________________________________________________________

The Atherley Cinema, 309 Shirley Road, Shirley

This cinema first opened its doors on Saturday, September 14, 1912, and became a bingo hall in 1975.

New Century Bingo was unable to open again after the Covid-19 lockdown.

_______________________________________________________________

Cannon - Ocean Village, Southampton

Opened on July 20, 1989 by Anita Dobson, this picture house went through a slew of owners in its relatively short 29 year life.

The cinema changed from Cannon to MGM, then to Virgin before becoming Cineworld.

Cineworld closed in 2017.

_______________________________________________________________

Classic cinema - 98 Above Bar

Opened in 1937 as the Cinenews, the cinema changed name a year later to Classic.

The building also contained adult picture house Tatler before they both closed in 1978.

The building is now a Burger King.

_______________________________________________________________

Woolston Picture Theatre - 17-19 Portsmouth Road, Woolston

This cinema opened in the early 20th century and functioned as one until becoming a bingo hall.

The entertainment venue shut its doors for the last time in October 2007 and is now being converted into flats.