LeicesterSquare
Latest
Inside Dolby and Odeon's mission to revive a British cinematic icon
Trips to the movies are just the worst, with exorbitant prices, endless trailers, bad seats and, of course, the other people. Attendances in the UK are flat and dwindling in the US as more folks choose to stay at home. As gimmicks like 3D fizzle, the cinema industry may be waking up to the fact that it needs to up its game -- or become second fiddle to Netflix. Which is probably why a British cinema chain decided to team up with Dolby to revive a once-loved "Cathedral of the movies."
The UK's first Dolby Cinema to open in London
London's iconic Odeon Leicester Square cinema has already firmly established itself in the silver screen history books, having hosted more than 700 film premieres since its opening in 1937. Now, it's getting another accolade. Following an 11-month, multi-million pound refurbishment, the cinema will re-open its doors this Christmas, complete with the UK's very first Dolby Cinema.
O2 offering free WiFi around London's busiest streets
O2 is making good on its promise to coat the busiest parts of London in free WiFi. Between now and the end of July, seven locations including Oxford Street, Regent Street, Exhibition Road, Leicester and Piccadilly Squares will offer unfettered access -- even if you don't subscribe to O2's cellphone network. There's no word on if the network will remain free forever, but given the painful time we spent crouching in Starbucks doorways on recent trips to New York and Paris, we hope the company does the right thing for the sake of harassed visitors to the capital.
