Cinema chain Odeon has announced the closure of one of its branches.

Residents have expressed sadness after staff at Blackpool Odeon on Rigby Road announced it will be closing its door from June 5.

The Odeon multiplex opened in 1998 replacing the original 1939-built Odeon in the town centre which was the largest of the original Odeon cinemas.

Odeon sent an email to its ‘Limitless’ subscribers explaining the ‘difficult decision’ to close the branch was due to the redevelopment of the complex.

Planning permission was granted last year to convert the cinema to a family entertainment centre as the cinema group’s lease is due to expire this year.

The email sent to Odeon members states: “We are sorry to announce that we have made the difficult decision to close ODEON Blackpool from June 5, due to the redevelopment of the complex.

“Looking after our people is our number one priority and we are looking to secure jobs for as many team members as possible in one of our other local cinemas.

“We would like to thank you for choosing ODEON Blackpool to enjoy the magic of cinema. Our nearest Odeon is Preston.”

While people are saddened by the news, not everyone is surprised. One resident said: “It’s a great shame, but these things seem to occur in waves.

“Think of all the beautiful art deco Odeons that closed down in the 60s and 70s. I rarely go to the cinema and the last few times I went the audiences were very sparse.”

Another person said: “People complaining about them closing the cinemas, when exactly was the last time anyone went? People have it so easy now due to movies being readily available at home at the touch of a button. It's streaming and movie apps that have killed going out to the movies.”

A spokesperson for Odeon said: “We can confirm that we have made the difficult decision to close our Blackpool cinema following a thorough assessment of all available options.

"We would like to apologise to our guests for any inconvenience this will cause.

“Supporting the ODEON Blackpool team is our number one priority, and we would like to thank our colleagues for all their incredible work over the years at the cinema.

"We will be looking to secure jobs for as many of them as possible in our other local cinemas.”