AFTER 88 years of delighting audiences the Odeon cinema in Westover Road has played its final picture show.

Cinemagoers travelled from as far as Manchester for the cinema's final swansong yesterday afternoon.

It has closed to make way for a new 10-screen Odeon multiplex at the BH2 development off the Square which officially opens to the public today.

Around 50 people took their seats in the big Odeon 1 screen at 3pm yesterday to watch the Oscar-nominated musical La La Land.

But for many of the guests it wasn't about what film they saw but instead about saying their own quiet farewell to a cinema and a building which is steeped in history.

Originally opened in 1929 as the Regent, the Odeon and was known for much of its life as the Gaumont.

Yesterday guests remembered visiting the cinema to watch some of the biggest films over the last decades including Star Wars and the James Bond movies from Connery to Craig.

But one special guest remembered meeting her husband at the cinema in the 1950s when she worked as his secretary.

Glenys Larcombe was just 18-years-old when she started working at the Gaumont as the secretary for assistant manager Ray Larcombe.

Speaking before the film yesterday she the 79-year-old said it was a "sad day" which brought back a lot of memories.

"It wasn't just about films back then we also had some of the worlds biggest stars come and perform at the theatre," she added.

"We had Ella Fitzgerald and Shirley Bassey as well as a special performance from the Beatles in the 1960s.

"This building really means a lot to me and I'm so glad that I got to come here with my son Steve to watch the final show."

The final screening wasn't just for locals who were reminiscing about fond memories but for cinema lovers who wanted to say goodbye to cinema that is "one of the last of its era".

Four members of the Cinema Theatre Association travelled from London and Manchester for the screening.

One of the members David Eve said: "This cinema is one of the oldest run by the Odeon and probably the last of its era.

"The staff here have done a fantastic job keeping it going all these years and it will be sad to see it go.

"For us we just hope the council will utilise the building they have here in order to save some of its history.

"It would be great to see it used as some kind of performing arts centre."

For manager Spencer Clark the "quiet goodbye" at the cinema he has worked at for 12 years was the perfect farewell.

"Everyone is here for their own reasons to enjoy a film at a cinema they have loved but now it's time to move forward," he added.

"These cinemas were built because they were modern in their time but new technology and experiences are being created every day to make the cinemagoers experience even better which the new complex will bring."