Vue, Odeon and Cineworld have announced closures this month in the latest blow for British filmgoers.
Cineworld is pulling down the shutters on five cinemas this month, after closing six branches across the UK and Ireland last year, Digital Spy reports.
Last month, the cinema chain confirmed it had completed its Restructuring Plan to restore the business to profitability, bringing the closure of six more cinemas.
The first of them, their Weymouth cinema, packed up for good in late December, while the other five will close on January 19.
Javier Sotomayor, president of Cineworld International, said at the time of the announcement: “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,” he added.
Meanwhile, Vue confirmed in November that its cinema venue in Rhyl, in Denbighshire, North Wales, won’t be operating beyond this month, after it decided not to extend their lease of the site, as per the Rhyl Journal.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “We can confirm that we will not be extending our lease at our Rhyl venue beyond January 2025.
“We are working closely with the council to ensure a smooth handover, and until further notice, we will continue to provide cinemagoers in Rhyl with the very best big screen experience.”
Express.co.uk has approached Vue over whether any other closures are planned for 2025.
In August, Odeon confirmed that its branch in Kettering would be closing permanently in January 28, “due to redevelopment plans”.
A spokesperson for Odeon said at the time: “We can confirm that our Kettering cinema will close in January 2025. The team at Kettering are our number one priority and we will support them in the coming months.”
Odeon’s PR agency Teneo has been contacted over whether this year will see more closures.
Awards/box office editor at Screen International Charles Gant says cinemas have struggled to bounce back since Covid.
“There was a feeling that we would get back to pre-pandemic levels relatively quickly [but] it became apparent it wasn’t an instant recovery,” he told the BBC.
“The recovery has completely stalled and that is to do with the release calendar, which was impacted by the Hollywood strikes,” he added.