Major cinema chain with more than 100 UK branches suddenly closes town centre site as film buffs left confused

A MAJOR cinema concatenation with much than 1 100 UK branches abruptly closed its municipality centre site, leaving movie buffs confused.

Cineworld successful Shaw Ridge, Swindon, cancelled its movie showings and unopen its doors without warning.

The cinema archetypal cancelled an evening showing of Wicked 2 hours earlier it was owed to commencement connected November 23.

And confused customers besides noted that different showings of Wicked and Gladiator were besides axed.

The next time connected November 24, the cinema confirmed it would beryllium closed - without giving immoderate denotation of erstwhile it mightiness reopen.

It said: “Unfortunately we are remaining closed until further notice, again we bash apologise for immoderate inconvenience caused by this. 

“Our lawsuit work squad volition beryllium successful interaction regarding refunds. We admit your patience portion these method issues are being resolved and volition update again erstwhile we are backmost open.”

But it turns retired that the fashionable cinema was simply closed “until further notice” owed to Storm Bert.

A spokesperson said: “Cineworld Shaw Ridge Swindon has had to temporarily adjacent owed to the interaction of Storm Bert. 

“Any customers whose screenings were cancelled volition beryllium automatically refunded.

"We apologise for the inconvenience and anticipation to reopen the cinema soon.”

One film person wrote: "I'm assuming leaks oregon a dodgy roof. They could usage the clip to refurb the seats, possibly instrumentality the ones from Regent Circus."

What other has happened astatine Cineworld?

Back successful October, Cineworld revealed that its sites across Glasgow Parkhead, Bedford, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon Regent Circus will adjacent in just a substance of days.

It forms portion of a large restructuring program to support the company's caput supra water.

Last month, a justice gave the go-ahead for £16million to beryllium injected into Cineworld's 4 companies which signifier the business.

The currency came from the business's genitor company, with an other £35million to besides beryllium made available.

Its 4 companies. Cine-UK Ltd, Cineworld Cinemas Ltd, Cineworld Cinema Properties Ltd and Cineworld Estates Ltd, volition besides negociate leases for each of their 101 sites crossed the UK.

This improvement follows a agelong play of occupation astatine Cineworld.

Just past twelvemonth the business emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US.

Filing for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy means a institution intends to reorganise its debts and assets portion remaining in business.

The company's shares plunged astir 99 per cent successful the 5 years to 2023, arsenic it was deed peculiarly hard by the pandemic and the enforced closure of its cinema sites.

Shortly after, Cineworld's UK limb collapsed into medication connected July 31.

The cinema concatenation was de-listed from the London Stock Exchange a time later.

When a company enters administration in the UK, each power is passed to an appointed administrator, who indispensable beryllium a licensed insolvency practitioner.

A batch of major cinema chains person struggled following the pandemic, arsenic customers got utilized to streaming films from home. 

Big blockbusters specified arsenic the Barbie Movie and Oppenheimer drove punters backmost to the movie theatre past year, but it has not been capable to support immoderate venues afloat.