Cineworld

Cineworld Group plc

"The Best Multiplex Screens Featuring The Latest Movies, 3D Films & Live Stage", "More than just great movies for all the family x"
Type	Public
Traded as	LSE: CINE
Industry	Leisure, Entertainment & Refreshments
Founded	1995
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Key people	Anthony Bloom (Chairman) Stephen Wiener (Chief Executive)
Website	www.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 was 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.

Gallery

• 

  Cineworld in Glasgow, Scotland. The world's tallest cinema.

• 

  Cineworld in Middlesbrough, England.

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  Cineworld in Sheffield, England. The largest cinema in the chain with 20 screens.

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  Cineworld on Fulham Road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Current locations

Planned locations

Former locations

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cineworld.

• Cineworld Cinemas UK
• Cineworld Cinemas Ireland
• Cineworld Group PLC