Cinema giant Cineworld to shut down all screens after new James Bond film postponed
The chain, which has cinemas in Dover, Rochester, Ashford and Bexleyheath, will announce the decision next week, The Times reports today
Bosses will write to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to say the industry is no longer viable due to the decision to postpone big budget publications during the pandemic He plans to keep his 128 cinemas closed until spring, putting 5,500 jobs at risk
Movie chains had hoped that the planned release of the Bond movie No Time to Die would give a huge boost to an industry that has been devastated by the coronavirus
But on Friday MGM film studio said the film, due to hit UK cinemas on November 12 after already being delayed from April, would be pushed back until next spring.
It was a blow to cinema operators who had brought back staff on leave and reopened in anticipation of a busy opening weekend
Phil Clapp, managing director of the UK Cinema Association, said: ‘The announcement is possibly the most serious blow to UK cinema operators of a number of similar announcements in recent weeks and will undoubtedly cause a number of cinemas to closeâ ????
Social distancing measures were in place in all areas of its cinemas, with an updated reservation system that allowed friends and family to sit together while ensuring a safe distance between customers from different households
A spokesperson for the channel said at the time: « Cineworld is excited about the large selection of films following the reopening of theaters, starting with the highly anticipated new film by Chris Nolan Tenet and immediately following with Mulan, a new Disney Adventure Movie
« Cineworld, as always, strongly believes in the theater experience and is fully committed to being the best place to watch a movie »
The decision to postpone Bond was also a blow to smaller operators, notably Picturehouse Cinemas, which runs the Carlton in Westgate
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News from around the world – GB – Cineworld ‘closes cinemas’ after James Bond coup
