The UK’s Empire Cinemas has gone into administration, with six of the chain’s 14 sites set to close down today (July 7).
Cinemas at Bishop’s Stortford, Catterick Garrison, Sunderland, Swindon, Walthamstow and Wigan ceased trading today, whilst the currently closed site at Sutton Coldfield will be sold.
Empire Cinemas at Birmingham Great Park, Clydebank, High Wycombe, Ipswich and Sutton, and Tivoli branded sites at Bath and Cheltenham, will remain open as administrators hope to find a buyer.
Around 150 jobs will be lost, according to reports.
Group CEO Justin Ribbons said in a statement posted on the websites of the affected cinemas: “Tony Nygate, John Strowger Danny Dartnaill were appointed joint administrators of Empire Cinemas Limited on 7 July 2023.
“As a consequence of Covid-19, where we were mandated by Government to close down our cinema chain in its entirety for protracted periods in 2020 and 2021 and this left us with a high fixed cost base and no income. Cinema attendance levels have not yet returned to pre-Covid-19 levels and the operating environment remains extremely challenging.
“It has been a difficult economic environment for any business to manage through without long term damage and having exhausted all other available options for the business, we firmly believe that this process can be a platform to restructure the business and preserve as many of our cinemas and the maximum number of jobs as possible.
“Refunds for tickets bought online and those purchased at the box office using a debit/credit/gift card will be refunded automatically. We are extremely grateful for your support over the years.”
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