Cineworld to shut six more branches as it issues major update – see full list

7 days ago admin

Cineworld has confirmed six more of its sites will close as part of its major restructuring plan.

The struggling cinema chain had its plans approved back in September 2024 after four companies which form part of the UK arm of Cineworld told a High Court they were at risk of collapsing into administration. This resulted in five sites being shut in Glasgow Parkhead, Bedford, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon Regent Circus.

In an update today, Cineworld confirmed its restructure plans are now complete – but announced six more branches would close after landlords chose to reclaim their properties. Cineworld will close its sites in Castleford, Leigh, Middlesbrough, Northampton, Poole and Weymouth.

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The Weymouth branch is closing on December 30, while the remaining five cinemas will shut for good on January 19. The cinema chain says it has gained access to £40million in liquidity as a result of its restructure, and will invest up to £35million in refurbishing its existing cinemas.

The High Court case heard from Cine-UK Ltd, Cineworld Cinemas Ltd, Cineworld Cinema Properties Ltd and Cineworld Estates Ltd, which are parts of the UK arm of Cineworld. At the time, the four companies said they planned on renegotiating the leases of some of their more than 100 sites, to secure rent reductions. They form part of a wider group which operates cinemas in 10 countries, including the US under the Regal Cinemas brand.

Cineworld was hit hard by falling sales during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns – on top of this, it continues to face added pressure of having to compete with streaming services. Tom Smith KC, the barrister involved in the court case, said they were also “severely adversely impacted” by strikes by screen actors and writers last year.

Javier Sotomayor, President of Cineworld International said: "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.”