A new 'high quality' cinema chain will open in Buckinghamshire this weekend, replacing an Empire Cinema venue after the brand's collapse into administration.
Omniplex Cinema Group, the largest cinema chain in Ireland, announced plans on Monday (December 4) to open five new sites in Britain before the end of the year after acquiring venues in High Wycombe, Birmingham, Ipswich, Sutton and Clydebank from Empire Cinema after the UK-based company collapsed into administration back in the summer.
The new High Wycombe venue was slated for an imminent opening date this weekend (December 10) and is now ready to welcome cinemagoers into its Crest Road site following a period of acquisition as part of Omniplex's 18-month £22.5 million expansion project across Great Britain.
Photographs of the redesigned venue show temporary signage replacing the Empire Cinema logo and film posters mounted on the building's outer walls giving customers a taste of some of the screenings they will be able to book from this weekend.
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The cinema's interior is unlikely to have undergone significant renovation, however, with the handover between the two chains taking place within a short timeframe and Empire continuing to operate as normal until just a few days before Omniplex's purchase was confirmed.
Although some High Wycombe residents have voiced uncertainty about the success of the new branch, with one person questioning how it would compete with luxury up-and-comers Everyman and another suggesting that it would quickly be edged out of the market unless ticket prices were slashed, director of Omniplex Paul John Anderson is unwaveringly optimistic about the investment project.
Speaking to Screen Daily this week, Mr Anderson said: "We have come out of the Covid period, I wouldn't say unharmed, but in a better position than most operators.
"Two of those elements are that we have no external debt and own the freehold for the majority of our properties. We have no huge, onerous lease calls that took down or are in the process of taking down a lot of UK operators and (those) further afield as well."
The rebranded Omniplex Cinema on Crest Way in High Wycombe will open its doors on Sunday, December 10.
Are you planning to check it out this weekend?
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