cineworld has closed....is this it for cinemas?

[MrsShelton]

it feels so final. got the email today from cineworld saying closed ....no date for a planned opening either

cinemas date back to a time before internet and tv, makes me think they will be gone, we have netflix now

i think i heard odeon was only opening weekends too. will cineworld continue to pay rent and retain staff?

We went to the cinema recently. It’s actually not that high risk as it’s a large well-ventilated room, everyone wearing masks and nobody talking.

I agree that a lot of the big films are struggling to shoot. Two series I’ve being looking forward to seeing on Netflix have been shelved.

It’s going to be a long hard road for the cinema industry.

I feel like cinema was a declining industry anyway, now that we have thousands of films available at the touch of a button. In recent years the time delay between cinema release and DVD release has been getting shorter as well.

Unfortunately nobody wants to go to the cinema when there are no good films on, and no film company wants to release a film when nobody is going to the cinema. So there isnt really a way for it to recover at the moment!

It's sad. A Cineworld opened close to me only last year and it was nice to be able to walk to the cinema.

Hopefully they'll reopen in the spring, but where are the films? Films themselves have been delayed due to the pandemic. It could be the death of cinemas.

My local VUE Cinema is only open a few days a week all and old films on. I have a £20 VUE voucher from Christmas that I may not get to use. I used to love cinema outings, I do hope it’s not the end.

Hopefully only temporary. As films are released again next year, and with the possibility of a vaccine, by 2022 I think it might be back to almost normal.

The problem is that over a period of time, like this, people lose, and develop new, habits. So it takes a while to get back to stuff that was 'lost' over lockdown - it's not instant.

Big films with big special effects are so much better at the cinema, but we've only been twice since the kids were born, both times when we were visiting or being visited by my PIL who are now shielding .

I'm not up for spending £50 on just a film (tickets + babysitter). Plus by the time they're in bed I'm not sure I could make it through an entire film without falling to sleep!

I took ds on sunday as struggling for things to do in bad weather. However it was a kids film and cheap tickets, it was very busy ( although socially distanced) but without the big blockbusters and full price tickets I can see why they would struggle

It's been coming for years.... As popcorn became more expensive than the film it was never going to be sustainable.

Also with the size of tvs and the quality of sound systems at home now its so much easier to just pay to watch it at home on box office...

Let's be honest £50 for a family of 4 to go to cinema with popcorn and drink.... Or £10 to do it in the comfort of your own home now... I know what I would pick!

Some films are just tbe same kn small screen....or maybe our ten year old TV is too small. Im looking forward to seeing bond at cinema... Eventually. We ony go when we really want to see something.

We have an amazing small independent cinema. We are attending more than we ever have and we are buying all drinks and snacks with them. I hope they can make it but with the restrictions on the number of people allowed in I can't imagine they are making much money.

Yes I think the death of cinema has started...kind of like when video shops and renting dvds died out.

It's such a shame. We love the cinema, it's our favourite thing to do. Our local cine world had a complete refurb just before lockdown too.

I wonder (and hope as DS is a manager in a cinema) if families will go to the cinema nearer Christmas if they re-release some of the really christmassy films as all other Christmas stuff is cancelled. At least that can be an allowed treat.

That email from Cineworld announcing their (temporary) closure was just so sad.

I've always loved going to the cinema, although now where we live it's a 50 mile round trip to the nearest one so it could only be an occasional treat with the DC. The cost of going was becoming extortionate and, whenever we went, the cinema was probably only about a third full, if that.

It makes me very sad to think they may not come back from this. If Cineworld goes completely then we will have no cinema we can go to.

I started a thread on this in Films. Will really miss this but our Cineworld is huge and rattling empty, especially the massive IMAX . Let's.hope people visit on re-opening and appreciate it when it returns

Well if they are it's the fault of the film production companies. While they may be having problems in getting the next batch of films finished those that were meant to be released this summer and around now are largely finished but production companies are refusing to release them which has led to cinemas needlessly having nothing to show.

That true. But Tenet didn't do as well as predicted. DD was involved in a film that was just released at the time of lockdown and it was disastrous. I can understand them holding back when they've spent so much money developing the films. It's just a horrible situation.

Thanks @MrsShelton. DD's managed to get something else in a linked industry, so she's one of the luckier ones (so far).

Our local independent has been showing old vintage favourites, mixed in with a few more recent popular ones and some kids favourites. One of two night runs. Its not very expensive and huge building which feels very safe. We just want to make sure it survives. I’ve less loyalty to a chain.

don't think it will be the end. I think it will breath life into smaller independent cinema / small chains.

Our much-loved independent has closed it's doors for good. I am really going to miss it this winter a lovely cinema on our doorstep and well-supported.

Went to the cinema on the weekend and it was a lovely little glimpse of normality. Pretty empty though. I think it will make a comeback when they've got films to show. It has been on the up in our city pre lockdown with more cinemas opening in recent years. Need some good films to show though - it's going to be dead easy to win an Oscar in 2021!

I already miss it. Used to go weekly with Meerkat movies with a friend.

I was sad to see the email from Cineworld. I got it too.

I hope it won't be the end for cinemas. We were only occasional visitors for birthday treats etc. or for the occasional big release that we were particularly interested to see. We usually followed it with a visit to Pizza Hut or Pizza Express.

The postponement or streaming of most new releases plus the requirement to wear masks during the film must be putting a huge dampener on their businesses. I am certainly not keen to go if I must wear a mask for the duration. My glasses would be steamed up the whole time too and it just wouldn't be enjoyable.

It all means that whilst I would have liked to have supported them in the limited way I would be able to, I haven't done so.

@MrsMigginsMate

Perhaps mandatory mask wearing during films impacted revenue. Don't get me wrong I'm pro-masks and wear them whenever necessary but as a glasses wearer I literally wouldn't be able to see the film due to steaming up. Think how many people you know who wear glasses....all of those people would no longer be potential customers. I'm not sure what the answer is but it's certainly the reason I didn't give my local cinema any custom when it reopened.

It’s possible not to steam up with glasses. Presumably eg taxi drivers and surgeons etc who wear glasses manage... I don’t find it a problem now really. Get the mask adjusted correctly where it meets the glasses and I don’t steam up.

Cinemas in general won't go away, but I can easily imagine the big chains going bust. Employees will lose their jobs, buildings flogged off cheap, shareholders including pension funds lose all their investment, lenders losing most of their money, and the taxpayer picking up much of the tab.

And repeat that across numerous industries.