Major cinema chain with more than 100 UK branches announces another shock closure this Christmas

A MAJOR cinema chain has announced another site closure just days after permanently shutting its screen in Swindon.

Cineworld in Weymouth has now announced that it will cease operations before the New Year.

The shock announcement was confirmed by the company at the end of this week.

The company stated that the decision to close the Weymouth location followed negotiations with the landlord, who ultimately “rejected our proposals”.

It means the cinema, which is located on New Bond Street, will close permanently on Monday, December 30.

Customers have taken to social media to share their sadness over the news.

One person said on Facebook: “Gutted! My son loves going to Cineworld in Weymouth.

“There are very few places for disabled people to go in Weymouth but this was one of them. Shame of you landlord!”

Another said: “Heartbroken doesn’t even cover it.

“You’ll truly be missed Cineworld Weymouth.

“Shoutout to everyone who worked here, you made it so much more than just a cinema.”

A third customer said: “There will nothing for children/families to do in town now!”

Weymouth Cineworld said in a statement: “After 25 years of providing movie lovers with a place to feel more, we regret to inform you that, following the landlord’s decision to reject our proposals, we will be closing on December 30.

“Unlimited members will be contacted shortly via email with details about membership cancellations and options to transfer to another Cineworld site.

“We would like to thank all of our customers for choosing Cineworld Weymouth as their local cinema and we hope to see you again soon at your nearest Cineworld in Poole.”

The latest closure announcement comes just days after Cineworld closed its screen in Shaw Ridge, Swindon.

What has happened at Cineworld?

Back in July, Cineworld revealed that its sites across Glasgow Parkhead, Bedford, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon Regent Circus would close in October.

The closures formed part of a major restructuring plan to keep the company’s head above water.

In October, a judge gave the go-ahead for £16million to be injected into Cineworld’s four companies which form the business.

The cash came from the business’s parent company, with an extra £35million to also be made available.

Its four companies. Cine-UK Ltd, Cineworld Cinemas Ltd, Cineworld Cinema Properties Ltd and Cineworld Estates Ltd, will also negotiate leases for each of their 101 sites across the UK.

This development follows a long period of trouble at Cineworld.

Just last year the business emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US.

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

The company’s shares plunged almost 99 per cent in the five years to 2023, as it was hit particularly hard by the pandemic and the enforced closure of its cinema sites.

Shortly after, Cineworld’s UK arm collapsed into administration on July 31.

The cinema chain was de-listed from the London Stock Exchange a day later.

When a company enters administration in the UK, all control is passed to an appointed administrator, who must be a licensed insolvency practitioner.

A lot of major cinema chains have struggled following the pandemic, as customers got used to streaming films from home. 

Big blockbusters such as the Barbie Movie and Oppenheimer drove punters back to the movie theatre last year, but it has not been enough to keep some venues afloat.