Boldon Cineworld at risk of closure as chain struggles to find buyer

The cinema is now facing closure as the Cineworld chain struggles to find a buyer after commecning Chapter 11 proceedings in the US last year. Boldon Cineworld underwent a refurbishment just two years ago as it reopened following months of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The refurb added a superscreen auditorium, as well as an improved Starbucks.

In October 2022, the team at Boldon Cineworld celebrated its 25th anniversary by showing classic films from its opening year, 1997. They included I Know What You Did Last Summer, Men in Black and Air Force One.

The venue is part of 129 cinemas across the UK and Ireland at risk of closure. The company announced it has a number of potential buyers, but none who are willing to pay for the whole business, which is currently £5billion in debt.

The brand has said it hopes to recover from bankruptcy protection before the middle of 2023 and is still fully operational. However, its future remains uncertain while proposals are reviewed.

The company said: "The company has now received non-binding proposals from a number of potential transaction counterparties for some or all of the group’s business. The company is reviewing such proposals in conjunction with its advisers and key stakeholders and, whilst no decision has been made as to whether to pursue a sale transaction, and the terms of any such transaction remain uncertain, based on the proposals received to date, it is not expected that any sale transaction will provide any recovery for the holders of the company’s equity interests."

Cineworld also stated that it was business as usual for its cinemas, including its UK cinemas and customer membership programmes.

“As announced on 7 September 2022, during the restructuring process, Cineworld continues to operate its global business and cinemas as usual without interruption. Cineworld and its brands around the world - including Regal, Cinema City, Picture House and Planet - are continuing to welcome customers to cinemas as usual. The Group continues to honour the terms of all existing customer membership programmes, including Regal Unlimited and Regal Crown Club in the United States and Cineworld Unlimited in the UK.”

Full list of 129 Cineworld cinemas at risk of closure

Cineworld operates 103 cinemas under the Cineworld brand across the UK and the Republic of Ireland and a further 26 under Picturehouse brand.

Cineworld cinemas at risk of closure

• Aberdeen - Queens Links
• Aberdeen - Union Square
• Aldershot
• Ashford
• Ashton-under-Lyne
• Barnsley
• Basildon
• Bedford
• Belfast
• Birmingham - Broad Street
• Birmingham - NEC
• Boldon Tyne and Wear
• Bolton
• Bracknell
• Bradford
• Braintree
• Brighton
• Bristol
• Broughton
• Burton upon Trent
• Bury St Edmunds
• Cardiff
• Castleford
• Cheltenham
• Chesterfield
• Chichester
• Crawley
• Dalton Park
• Didcot
• Didsbury
• Dover
• Dundee
• Eastbourne at The Beacon
• Edinburgh
• Ely
• Falkirk
• Glasgow - Parkhead
• Glasgow - Renfrew Street
• Glasgow - Silverburn
• Gloucester Quays
• Harlow - Harvey Centre
• Harlow - Queensgate
• Haverhill
• Hemel Hempstead
• High Wycombe
• Hinckley
• Hull
• Huntingdon
• Ipswich
• Leeds - White Rose
• Leigh
• Llandudno
• London - Bexleyheath
• London - Enfield
• London - Feltham
• London - Hounslow
• London - Ilford
• London - Leicester Square
• London - South Ruislip
• London - The O2 Greenwich
• London - Wandsworth
• London - Wembley
• London - West India Quay
• London - Wood Green
• Loughborough
• Luton
• Middlesbrough
• Milton Keynes
• Newcastle upon Tyne
• Newport - Friars Walk
• Newport - Isle of Wight
• Newport - Spytty Park
• Northampton
• Nottingham
• Plymouth
• Poole
• Rochester
• Rugby
• Runcorn
• Rushden Lakes
• Sheffield
• Shrewsbury
• Solihull
• Speke
• Stevenage
• St Helens
• St Neots
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Swindon - Regent Circus
• Swindon - Shaw Ridge
• Telford
• Wakefield
• Warrington
• Watford
• Weston-super-Mare
• Weymouth
• Whiteley
• Witney
• Wolverhampton
• Yate
• Yeovil
• York
• Dublin