Cineworld to shut six more cinemas – full list of closures | UK News
Cineworld says it is closing another six cinemas, bringing the total of closed sites to 11.
The cinema chain already closed sites in Glasgow Parkhead, Bedford, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon Regent Circus earlier this year as part of its restructuring programme.
Now it has confirmed it will also shut down its branches in the following areas:
- Castleford
- Leigh
- Middlesbrough
- Northampton
- Poole
- Weymouth
The Weymouth branch is set to close on 30 December, while the five other cinemas will close on 19 January, Cineworld has confirmed.
It had also earmarked its Hinckley site for closure, but this was granted a reprieve after a new property deal was agreed.
The move will leave Cineworld with 90 cinemas across the UK.
Cineworld secured court approval for a restructuring plan earlier this year, which imposed steep rent cuts on many of its cinemas’ landlords.
The controversial plan attracted opposition from a string of prominent landlords, but won sufficient support from creditors to be pushed through.
Documents circulated as part of the restructuring plan process highlighted the fact that the company did not have sufficient funding to meet a quarterly rent bill on 24 June of £15.9m.
Read more:
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth – Six things to know about the show
Pamela Anderson’s iconic Baywatch swimsuit to go on display in London
The company said it has improved its financial position by also securing additional funds, including £40m in liquidity.
It also plans to invest around £35m across its estate, particularly in refurbishing existing cinemas.
Javier Sotomayor, president of Cineworld International, said: “The successful completion of our restructuring plan, achieved with the crucial support of our landlords, protects thousands of jobs across the UK and provides us with the financial stability to continue investing in delivering extraordinary experiences for our valued customers.
“This milestone sets the stage for a brighter future, enabling Cineworld to continue sharing joy in communities across the UK for many years to come.”
