By Tenpin Bowling Proprietors Association President John Ashbridge
Top Rank Bowl High Street Southall Middlesex
The third Rank owned cinema to become a tenpin bowling centre was the Odeon Cinema located on the High Street, Southall which is now part of Greater London. The cinema, built in 1936 and opened on 17th August that year, was one of the original chain of Odeon cinemas. The building was built, in the then, modern Art Deco style set slightly back from the road with the auditorium parallel to the street. It continued in use as a cinema until being closed for conversion on 25th February 1961. The former stalls area was levelled with the balcony extended forward to the proscenium arch and the 24 bowling lanes and machines, supplied by Brunswick, installed with 12 on each level. The bowling centre opened as the Top Rank Bowl on the 14th August 1961. The bowl was initially successful but as interest in bowling declined it closed on 20th February 1970. In July 1970 the building became an MFI Furniture and from about 1966 became a Carpet Centre. The ground floor is currently a Lidl supermarket.
