THE famous 'Odeon' sign at York's last classic-style picture house is to stay, after a U-turn by cinema bosses.

Owners of the Odeon, in Blossom Street, had applied to change the letters at the front of the building from 'Odeon' to 'Cinema', or to remove the letters completely.

But members of City of York Council's planning and transport (city centre area) sub-committee were told last night that the cinema's owners had had a change of heart and will keep the lettering in its original style.

Committee member Janet Looker said: "We agreed they can put a new sign up with appropriate lettering, the main issue was the retention of the Odeon letters. It is an attractive building. Cinemas do need to be preserved, this is York's last old-style cinema that is still operating, and it is a popular building."

The council's conservation officer had told the meeting, in a report, that the classic-style lettering had been chosen by Odeon in the 1930s to acknowledge York's status as an historic city.

Updated: 11:08 Friday, August 08, 2003