Athena Leicester
A dramatic art deco former cinema transformed into one of the Midlands' largest and most visually distinctive event venues.
About Athena Leicester
Athena Leicester is a Grade II-listed former Odeon cinema in Leicester's Cultural Quarter, now operating as a large-scale conferencing, banqueting and live events venue. Designed in 1936 by Robert Arthur Bullivant, it combines original cinematic architecture and art deco interiors with modern event production — a purpose-built stage, a 10m x 5m cinema screen, integrated sound and lighting, and large-capacity flexible layouts.
It is particularly well known for awards ceremonies, gala dinners, multicultural weddings, conferences, concerts and large-scale corporate events where atmosphere matters as much as functionality.
Why bookers choose Athena Leicester
Genuine wow factor from arrival
1930s cinema architecture — chandelier foyer, chrome doors, tiered balcony and a sweeping auditorium create a sense of occasion standard hotel venues can't replicate.
Large-scale capability with integrated production
A large built-in stage, 10m x 5m cinema screen, in-house sound system, full lighting rig and an on-site technician within sound & lighting packages.
Flexible day-to-evening transitions
Regularly hosts daytime conferences that flip to gala dinners or awards in the same space, with breakout areas and the Gallery balcony for complex flows.
Strong fit for multicultural events
External caterers welcomed with no corkage charge — especially attractive for Asian weddings and culturally specific celebrations.
City-centre parking provision
On-site surface car park plus an NCP opposite that validates at £8 for 24 hours within the venue — rare this close to the station.
Spaces
Cinema Suite
The venue's flagship auditorium-style event space
Athena's main event space, retaining the dramatic scale and theatrical feel of the building's original cinema heritage. Tiered, with a large stage, dance floor, large bar and projection creating strong sightlines throughout. Designed for high-impact conferences, awards ceremonies, concerts and gala dinners.
10m x 5m cinema screen, Ethos 1 Prologic sound system, fully equipped lighting rig, large stage, dance floor, large bar and venue-wide wireless data. Star cloth backdrop, live-feed capability and specific projector models to be confirmed with venue.
The Gallery
Tiered balcony overlooking the main stage
Tiered and overlooking the Cinema Suite below, creating dramatic balcony sightlines across the stage and auditorium. Commonly used as an extension to larger events — particularly awards and gala dinners — and can be prepared as a dining area for conferences to move into for lunch. Contains its own bar.
Two 10ft x 10ft projector screens, ceiling multi-colourwash facility, private bar.
The Deco Lounge
Art deco reception lounge with integrated bar
A versatile bar-led space that works particularly well for drinks receptions, networking and breakout sessions. Can be used in conjunction with the Cinema Suite and Gallery, alongside the City View Lounge, or in isolation for smaller events.
Dual-aspect bar, plasma screen display capability, wireless data connection.
City View Lounge
Naturally lit meeting and dining room with city views
The venue's brightest and most intimate event space, with ample natural daylight and views across Leicester city centre. Well suited to leadership meetings, private dinners and smaller conferences, and usable as a breakout room alongside the Cinema Suite and Gallery.
Wireless data connection. AV specification and bar facilities to be confirmed with venue.
The Foyer
Glamorous arrival and registration space
Sets the tone immediately, with a spectacular chandelier and chrome cinema doors leading into the main auditorium. Commonly used for guest arrivals, registration and drinks receptions.
Large bar, cloakroom, plasma screen capable of displaying event images.
All spaces at a glance
| Space | theatre | banquet | cabaret | standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema Suite | 1,000 | 700 | 450 | 1,300 |
| The Gallery | 250 | 300 | – | 600 |
| The Deco Lounge | – | – | – | 250 |
| City View Lounge | 50 | 40 | – | 60 |
| The Foyer | – | – | – | – |
Guest numbers for the layout shown. A dash means that layout isn't offered in that space.
Facilities & amenities
Catering
Approach
In-house & external. Three-course banquets, buffets, canapés, grab-and-go conference catering and bespoke wedding catering.
External caterers
Welcomed — particularly for weddings and multicultural events. H&S documentation and insurance may be required.
Bars
Multiple bars throughout. Unlimited drinks packages available; own alcohol may be brought in free of corkage.
Dietary
Allergies and dietary requirements accommodated. Halal, kosher and vegan certification to be confirmed with venue.
Is it right for your event?
Great for
- Awards ceremonies
- Gala dinners & charity balls
- Large conferences
- Asian & multicultural weddings
- Concerts & live performances
- Exhibitions & festivals
- Product launches
- Speaker-led events needing strong AV
Less suited to
- Small confidential board meetings needing hotel-style privacy
- Residential conferences needing on-site bedrooms
- Events needing multiple naturally lit meeting rooms
- Ultra-minimal or neutral corporate environments
Accessibility
The City View Lounge (1st floor) and Gallery (2nd floor) are on upper floors. Lift access, step-free access to upper floors and accessible WC locations are not confirmed in published information — verify directly with the venue for delegates with specific requirements.
Weddings
Ceremonies
Holds a civil ceremony licence. Four private dressing rooms included within wedding hire packages.
Scale
Marketed for wedding capacity from 200+ guests.
Notes
External caterers welcomed with no corkage charge, making the venue particularly attractive for Asian weddings and bespoke cultural celebrations. The venue states experience hosting a wide range of Asian weddings.
Location & getting there
Athena sits within Leicester's Cultural Quarter on a corner site at Queen Street and Rutland Street, close to the station and city centre.
Sustainability
Athena does not prominently market a formal sustainability accreditation. It promotes operational flexibility around catering and reusable event infrastructure. Request further sustainability information directly from the venue.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Cinema Suite accommodates up to 1,000 theatre-style delegates and includes integrated staging, projection and an in-house sound system. It is particularly strong for conferences that also include awards dinners, networking or entertainment.
Yes. The Deco Lounge, City View Lounge and Gallery can all operate as breakout or secondary spaces alongside the main Cinema Suite.
Yes. Athena explicitly welcomes external caterers, particularly for weddings and multicultural events. Health & safety documentation and insurance may be required. There is also no corkage charge.
The City View Lounge is the room where natural daylight is explicitly confirmed by the venue. It also includes views across Leicester city centre.
Yes. Athena has an on-site surface car park on Queen Street with 120 spaces. An NCP opposite on Rutland Street can be validated within the venue at £8 for 24 hours.
Yes. Exclusive venue hire is available and commonly used for weddings, awards ceremonies and major corporate events.