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Revision as of 18:02, 3 December 2013

Cineworld Group plc
Company typePublic
LSE: CINE
IndustryLeisure, Entertainment & Refreshments
Founded1995
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
Key people
Anthony Bloom
(Chairman)
Stephen Wiener
(Chief Executive)
Websitewww.cineworldplc.com www.cineworld.co.uk

Cineworld Group plc is a cinema chain operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Jersey. The chain consists of 81 cinemas, 79 of which are located in the UK, with one each in Ireland and Jersey. It is the second-largest cinema operator in the UK with over 800 screens, and the owner of the single largest multiplex by screens and customer base in Ireland.[1] Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street is the tallest cinema in the world and the busiest, by customer base, in the UK.[2] The Cineworld with the greatest number of screens is that located at Valley Centertainment in Sheffield, which has 20.[3]

History

The first Cineworld opened in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in July 1996; the second, in a purpose-built location in Wakefield, Yorkshire, followed in late 1996, with Shrewsbury, Shropshire, following in November 1998. Additional sites were opened at a steady rate throughout the late '90s and early 2000s; in 2005, Cineworld also took over the UK and Ireland operations of French cinema company UGC. (As part of the merger, seven locations were sold to Empire Cinemas, due to UK fair trading law: Birmingham Great Park, Bishop's Stortford, Ealing, Slough, Sunderland, Swindon and Wigan.)

The Blackstone Group invested in Cineworld in 2004 when it was privately owned, and remained the largest shareholder in Cineworld Group PLC until it sold its entire remaining 20% shareholding in November 2010.[4]

Post-merger, Cineworld have continued to open new locations; as of 2013, Cineworld have 81 locations in the UK, Ireland and Jersey and have a number of new locations in the pipeline.

In August 2013, The Guardian revealed that Cineworld employs 80% of its 4,300 staff on zero hour contracts.[5]

In October 2013, The Chester location was closed due to the landowner wanting to develop the land into a supermarket. This has been the first Cineworld to close without being sold and the first cinema to leave the chain in 8 years.

Cinemas

Each Cineworld cinema has between one and twenty screens, which typically show mainstream general-release films. Some Cineworlds also show broadcasts of opera, theatre, live music and sports. All Cineworlds also have a retail area, where food and drink can be purchased, Candyking pick and mix outlets are available at all of its sites for example. Some also have a cafe, which sells Ben and Jerry's ice cream, lounge bar and a small amusement arcade. In October 2013, Cineworld began to replace its cafes with Starbucks Coffee outlets after agreeing a deal with the coffee chain. Seven cinemas in the chain have so far been given a Starbucks with another three cinemas due to open a Starbucks outlet by the end of the year.[6]

As of September 2013, nine Cineworld cinemas have an IMAX screen, and eight have D-BOX technology.

The majority of Cineworld cinemas also offer "Movies for Juniors", which shows selected children's films on Saturday mornings at a discounted rate. (Ashford, Bolton, Burton Upon Trent, Ipswich, Liverpool, London Wandsworth and Northampton Cineworlds host Movies for Juniors on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.)

In June 2011, Cineworld began a trial of a premium cinema brand, The Screening Rooms. Located next to the Cheltenham cinema, The Screening Rooms offers considerably larger, leather seating, premium food, and 'table' service.[7]

Cineworld was the only cinema chain in the United Kingdom to operate a 'strict no food and drink policy'[8] on items that have been bought elsewhere,[9] but in November 2012 the food policy was changed and now states that "neither alcohol nor hot food may be brought onto the premises" [10]

Membership schemes

Cineworld offers a subscription service using a membership card - the "Unlimited Card" - which provides subscribers with unlimited entrance for a set price per month, and currently 10% off all food and drink.[11] It is the only type of cinema subscription service available in the UK, Ireland and Jersey. Admission to 3D features incurs an additional fee, and does not include the cost of 3D glasses. The standard Unlimited card does not grant access to Cineworld's four West End cinemas (Chelsea, Haymarket, Fulham Road and Shaftesbury Avenue); these require the purchase of a more expensive West End Unlimited card. Using the Unlimited branding, Cineworld also published a free monthly magazine entitled Unlimited, presenting information about upcoming movies the chain will be exhibiting. As of Summer 2012 however, the Unlimited name was removed from the magazine and the subsequently the magazine was simply renamed as Cineworld Magazine.

As of 26 November 2012, Unlimited members of 12 months continuous membership will be upgraded to the Unlimited Premium Card which grants 25% off all food and drink bought in cinema, 10% off Starbucks (on site only) and no uplift fees on 3D films.

In addition to the paid Unlimited scheme, Cineworld offer a free membership scheme called "myCineworld", which allows members a 10% discount on tickets when booking online and no additional fees.

Current locations

Site Screens (#) Origin Notes
Aberdeen — Queens Links 9 UGC Opened 17 July 1997.
Aberdeen — Union Square 10 Cineworld Opened 30 October 2009. All screens use digital projection although 3 screens can facilitate 35mm film also.
Aldershot 7 Cineworld D-Box. Opened 26 October 2012.
Ashford 12 Cineworld
Ashton-under-Lyne 14 Cineworld V.I.P Seating.
Bedford 6 UGC
Birmingham 12 UGC IMAX.
Boldon Tyne and Wear 11 UGC
Bolton 15 UGC On-site Starbucks.
Bradford 16 Cineworld
Braintree 12 Cineworld
Brighton 8 UGC All screens fully digital although Screen 8 can still facilitate 35mm.
Bristol 14 Cineworld 12 screens operational.
Burton upon Trent 9 Cineworld
Bury St Edmunds 8 Cineworld
Cambridge 9 Cineworld
Cardiff 15 UGC
Castleford 14 Cineworld D-Box, V.I.P Seating.
Cheltenham 11 Cineworld Also the location of Cineworld's premium ofshoot 'The Screening Rooms'.
Chesterfield 10 Cineworld
Chichester 10 Cineworld V.I.P Seating.
Crawley 15 UGC D-Box, IMAX, On-site Starbucks.
Didcot 5 Cineworld Chain's first non-box office site operating with a dual retail-ticket system.
Didsbury 11 UGC D-Box.
Dublin 17 UGC IMAX.
Dundee 9 UGC
Eastbourne 6 UGC
Edinburgh 13 UGC IMAX, On-site Starbucks (opening soon).
Falkirk 12 Cineworld On-site Starbucks (opening soon).
Glasgow — IMAX at GSC 1 Cineworld IMAX, On-site Starbucks (opening soon). Opened 18 October 2013. Cinema with least amount of screens. As part of Glasgow Science Centre.
Glasgow — Parkhead 7 UGC
Glasgow — Renfrew Street 18 UGC D-Box. The world's tallest cinema.
Gloucester 6 UGC Cinema closes 5 December 2013.
Harlow 6 UGC
Haverhill 5 Cineworld Opened 10 October 2008. Is the first site to use full customer automated ticketing system.
High Wycombe 12 Cineworld V.I.P Seating.
Hull 9 UGC
Huntingdon 10 Cineworld
Ipswich 11 UGC IMAX, On-site Starbucks. Opened 1 May 1998.
Isle of Wight 11 Cineworld
Jersey 10 Cineworld V.I.P Seating. Only Cineworld in the Channel Islands, and only cinema in Jersey.
Leigh 7 Cineworld
Liverpool 8 UGC
Llandudno 9 Cineworld
London — Bexleyheath 9 Cineworld
London — Chelsea 4 UGC
London — Enfield 15 UGC IMAX, On-site Starbucks.
London — Feltham 14 Cineworld
London — Fulham Road 6 UGC
London — Hammersmith 4 UGC
London — Haymarket 3 UGC
London — Ilford 11 Cineworld
London — Shaftesbury Avenue 7 UGC Planning permission is being sought to significantly refurbish this site under the Picturehouse Cinemas brand including a new entrance from the street, members bar and roof terrace.
London — Staples Corner 6 UGC
London — The O2, Greenwich 11 Vue D-Box, V.I.P Seating. Cineworld Group Plc won a 25 year contract to operate The O2 multiplex from Friday 25 June 2010[12]
London — Wandsworth 14 Cineworld V.I.P Seating.
London — Wembley 9 Cineworld D-Box, On-site Starbucks. Opened 24 October 2013.
London — West India Quay 10 UGC
London — Wood Green 12 Cineworld
Luton 11 Cineworld
Middlesbrough 11 UGC
Milton Keynes 16 Cineworld D-Box.
Newport Wales 13 UGC On-site Starbucks.
Northampton 9 UGC On-site Starbucks.
Nottingham 14 UGC IMAX
Rochester 9 UGC
Rugby 9 Cineworld
Runcorn 9 Cineworld
Sheffield 20 UGC IMAX, On-site Starbucks. Cinema with most screens in the chain.
Shrewsbury 8 Cineworld Opened November 1998.
Solihull 9 Cineworld
Southampton 5 UGC
St. Helens 11 Cineworld
Stevenage 16 Cineworld Opened July 1996. First Cineworld location.
Stockport 10 UGC
Swindon 7 UGC
Wakefield 9 (formerly 12) Cineworld Opened late 1996. First purpose built Cineworld.
Weymouth 9 Cineworld
Witney 5 Cineworld Opened 30 October 2009. All screens use digital projection although 2 screens can facilitate 35mm film also.
Wolverhampton 14 Cineworld
Yeovil 10 Cineworld

Planned locations

Site Screens Notes
Bracknell 12 Opening 2015, as part of the Bracknell Regeneration.
Broughton 11 As part of the Broughton Shopping Park expansion plans, Opening 2015.
Gloucester 10 As part of the Gloucester Quays plans. Opening 6 December 2013.
Harlow - Harvey Centre 6 As part of Harvey Centre plans, Opening 2014.
Hinckley 5 As part of Crescent Bus Station plans, Opening 2015.[13]
Keighley 8 Opening 2014.
Macclesfield 8 Opening 2016.
Newport - Friars Walk 8 Opening 2015.
Oswestry 5 Opening 2015.
Ruislip 10 Opening 2014.
St Neots 6 Opening 2014.[14]
Swindon - Regent Circus 6 As part of the Regent Circus plans. Opening 2014.
Telford 11 As part of the Southwater development. Opening 2014.
Trowbridge 8 Opening 2015.
Whiteley 9 Opening May 2015

Former locations

Site Screens Origin Notes
Birmingham — Great Park 13 UGC Sold to Empire Cinema's in 2005.
Bishop's Stortford 6 Cineworld Sold to Empire Cinema's in 2005.
Chester 6 UGC Closed 10 October 2013. Cinema was not sold.
Ealing 3 UGC Sold to and now closed by Empire Cinemas since early 2009 for "redevelopment"
Sunderland 12 Cineworld Sold to Empire Cinema's in 2005
Slough 10 UGC Sold to Empire Cinema's in 2005.
Swindon — Greenbridge 12 Cineworld Swindon was the only place to have a UGC & Cine-UK therefore had two Cineworld Cinemas for a brief time. Sold to Empire Cinema's in 2005.
Wigan 11 UGC Sold to Empire Cinema's in 2005.

References

  1. ^ Cineworld PLC | The Market
  2. ^ Cineworld PLC | Company Overview
  3. ^ Cineworld PLC | About Us
  4. ^ "Blackstone Completes Sale of Remaining Stake in Cineworld" (PDF). Press release. The Blackstone Group. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  5. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/09/curzon-everyman-cinema-staff-zero-hours
  6. ^ http://www.cineworld.co.uk/starbucks
  7. ^ "Sneak peek at Cheltenham cinema's luxury Screening Rooms". This is Gloucestershire. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Cineworld Cinemas - FAQ". Retrieved 9 July 2011. Can I bring in my own food and drink? - Cineworld have a strict NO FOOD AND DRINK policy.
  9. ^ Sethi, Anita (20 February 2008). "My mission to beat the great cinema food rip-off ..." The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  10. ^ "Cineworld Cinemas - FAQ". Retrieved 1 December 2012. 2.2 Alcohol and Food Policy: Neither alcohol nor hot food may be brought onto the premises. Only hot food bought on the premises may be consumed on the premises. Alcohol may only be purchased and consumed in Cineworld licensed bar areas or in licensed screens and licensing laws will be strictly enforced.
  11. ^ "Cineworld Cinemas: Unlimited Card Discounts".
  12. ^ Cineworld to operate O2 multiplex | Digital Look
  13. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-24464239
  14. ^ [1]
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