Cineworld takes over London’s O2 centre cinema

Cineworld Group have signed a 25-year lease, effective from today (25th June), to run the 11-screen multiplex inside Greenwich’s O2 centre.

Previously operated by Vue Entertainment, the cinema drew a box office of $6.1million (£4.1m) last year and boasts a 770-capacity main auditorium, the largest cinema screen in London.  The O2 centre itself is one of London’s highest-grossing attractions, originally known as the Millennium Dome, with the cinema forming part of its ‘entertainment district’.

Cineworld signed the deal with the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), owners of the O2, as part of a confidential financial agreement.

David Campbell, CEO of AEG Europe, described the deal as ‘a significant step in further developing the O2’, adding that the recent announcement of a full digital rollout across Cineworld’s screens reinforced the offer.

Steve Wiener, CEO of Cineworld, said: “Not only does this transaction see us expand our London estate, in what is a thriving entertainment facility, but in doing so we will be involved with one of the leading entertainment operators in the world. This is an exciting opportunity for Cineworld.”