I love this cinema. I saw some great films there as a child, but I think it's time they tore it down, sorry.

My earliest memories of The Kingwest Centre is watching 101 Dalmations and Snow White, my best memory is Star Wars in 1977. Back then I was not interested in the look of a building only the function. Now though, older and wiser, what a big mistake it was to tear down the original frontage, can this ever be learned from? Seems not, plenty of examples of very poor planning, even now in 2005. I've now moved to a seaside town which has that looked-after and not over-developed feel about it: Worthing. Good bye Brighton, I'll miss you but you also annoy me the way you think you're a city. So many attractive and functional buildings which were once stunning, and made people feel good have gone. Now me.

From my notes, and checking other sources, the Kingswest Odeon opened in April 1973 with three screens seating 390, 885, and 504 (70mm capability in the 504 seat screen) as a conversion of a short-lived skating rink, bowling alley and conference hall. The foyer and box office were quite inconveniently placed up an escalator at the side of the building; the escalator was not owned by Odeon and by all accounts was more often than not out of use. The Rank Organisation, which owned Odeon, had three other town centre cinemas all of which closed on the opening of the Kingswest. The Academy in West Street closed in January 1973, and the Odeon West Street and Regent Queens Road a few days before the new cinema opened. In May 1987 two further screens were added, each with about 250 seats. At the same time the box office and foyer were moved down to their present street level position, leaving the old foyer as a large upstairs circulation area. In August 1989 a kitchen storage area towards the seafront side of the building was brought into use as a 103 seat sixth screen. To complete the picture to date, in December 2001 the 885 seat auditorium was divided into three. I have to say I've always had a soft spot for the cinema. I had left Brighton by the time it opened but have always been a regular customer when I'm back. The first ten years after it opened were pretty grim ones for cinemas in Britain, and many became run down with couldn't-care staff. But the Odeon was always a ray of sunshine, remaining busy, friendly, and well looked after with good presentation. I found watching a big film in the largest auditorium with its enormous curtains a great experience. I know the exterior arouses passions, and the place is a bit of a rabbit warren for finding your screen, but for me it is a fondly thought of grand old lady. It is after all getting on for being as old as the original 1937 West Street Odeon was when it closed.

I loved the original screen. It had the largest in Sussex when I worked there 9 years ago. It was 64 foot in length and had one of the best sound systems in the country.

I remember this place being an ice rink. I used to go ice skating on Saturdays and we had to queue up on the escalator as the rink was upstairs. It was lovely inside and seemed very modern compared to the old rink that was there before where the Brighton ice hockey team used to play. It had wooden barriers and seemed very dark whereas the new rink was open all around enabling you to just step onto the ice from anywhere and it had coloured lighting. I was very sad when it closed down as I thought is was one of Brighton's best attractions.