Cinema chain to open five new branches before Christmas - see full list

04 December 2023 , 09:43

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Omniplex Cinema has taken over five sites from the collapsed Empire Cinema chain (Image: Getty Images)

Omniplex Cinema Group will be opening five new locations in the UK this week.

Omniplex Cinema Group is Ireland's largest cinema company and today it announced it had taken on the sites from Empire Cinema after it fell into administration back in July. Omniplex will be rebranding the former Empire Cinema sites in Birmingham, Ipswich, High Wycombe and Clydebank. The new sites will be opening their doors to cinema-goers this week. The first site in Birmingham will be opening on Wednesday, December 6.

The cinema company says the move is part of its plan to expand across Great Britain and more sites are expected to be announced in 2024. Over the next 18 months, the group is making a total investment of £22.5million to acquire and renovate the former Empire locations. The investment will also secure 150 existing jobs at the former Empire sites.

Paul John Anderson, director of the Omniplex Cinema Group said: "We are thrilled to bring Omniplex Cinemas to Great Britain. Our disciplined approach to investing in our businesses and unwavering drive to operate high-quality cinema locations have proved successful over the years on the island of Ireland and has given us the confidence to venture into new territories. This expansion is a testament to our commitment to innovation, quality, and delivering unforgettable moments for our customers."

Omniplex first opened its doors to customers in Ireland in 1991 and has since amassed a total of 270 screens across 38 cinema locations across both the Republic and Northern Ireland.

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Empire Cinemas, which previously operated at 14 locations with 129 screens, fell into administration in July this year. This cinema chain then immediately closed six of its venues in Bishops Stortford, Catterick Garrison, Sunderland, Swindon, Walthamstow and Wigan. A further eight were then put up for sale including its two Tivoli-branded venues in Bath and Cheltenham. At the time the company employed around 430 people across the country and the closures made 150 workers redundant.

Full list of new Omniplex sites in the UK

• Great Park, Birmingham - December 6
• Buttermarket Shopping Centre, Ipswich - December 8
• St Nicholas Shopping Centre, Sutton - December 8
• Clyde Shopping Centre, Clydebank - December 10
• Crest Road, High Wycombe - December 10

Ruby Flanagan