Cineworld
Encyclopedia
Cineworld Group plc is a cinema
chain operating in the United Kingdom
, the Republic of Ireland
and Jersey
. The chain consists of 78 cinemas; 76 of which are located in the UK and one each in Ireland and Jersey. It is the second-largest cinema operator in the UK with 801 screens, and the owner of the single largest multiplex by screens and customer base in Ireland. Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street
is the tallest cinema in the world and the busiest, by customer base, in the UK. Based on the number of screens, the biggest Cineworld cinema is at Valley Centertainment
in Sheffield
with 20 screens.
, Hertfordshire
in July 1996, with its second cinema opening up in Shrewsbury
, Shropshire
in November 1998 which was purpose-built. Since then it has taken over the UK and Ireland operations of the French
cinema company UGC. In July 2005 it began integrating the two chains, taking the opportunity to introduce a new company logotype (with a shortened name, "Cineworld Cinemas"). Cineworld retained the UGC Unlimited Card (taken from Virgin Cinemas
originally) and the UGC in-house magazine, also called Unlimited. The re-branding process of the former UGC cinemas was completed in September 2005, and as of April 2006 the company's websites and booking lines were merged into one combined service at cineworld.co.uk and the Cineworld Ireland site was completed in late 2007 at cineworld.ie
As part of the merger with the former UGC brand the Office of Fair Trading
announced that Cineworld must divest itself of six of its locations: Bishop's Stortford
, Ealing
, Slough
, Sunderland, Swindon
and Wigan
. These have now been sold to and re-branded as Empire Cinemas
. The Cineworld Birmingham — Great Park
site was also later sold to Empire Cinemas
and rebranded by the end of 2006, leaving Cineworld with 71 sites in total.
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.
As part of further developments, plans have been made to build more Cineworld sites. In time, older original Cineworld sites will gain the newer logo types (Cineworld Cinemas) as they undergo refurbishment (refurbishment will also be carried out at older former UGC sites as required, although the re-branding is basically already done).
features incurs an additional fee of £1.50, and does not include the cost of 3D glasses. Tickets can only be acquired using the unlimited card on the day of the film is to be shown. During the summer of 2011, new customers who signed up to the unlimited card would receive the 13th month of subscription free.
.
which was launched in early 2004 to start the cinema magazine generation. It's free in all Cineworlds. A Bollywood
spin-off called Cineworld Unlimited Bollywood was launched in mid 2007 and was discontinued in mid 2008 as it did not gain much attention. It returned as a feature in the main Cineworld Unlimited magazine.
A previous sponsor for this offer was Kandoo. The current sponsor is Aquafresh
.
On 1 July 2009, it was announced that Woolworths.co.uk would sponsor Movies for Juniors for the rest of 2009. To support this, Woolworths.co.uk advertisements would be shown for all performances at Cineworld Cinemas. Families who regularly attend Movies for Juniors, are able to register as a V.I.F. (Very Important Family), so that they can see selected films for free. The usual cost is £1 per person.
Bolton
, Falkirk
, Ipswich
, Liverpool
, Northampton
, Wandsworth
and Wakefield
Cineworlds host Movies for Juniors on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Ashton Under Lyne Cineworld hosts Movies for Juniors on a Saturday morning only at the usual cost of £1 per ticket.
Fun and games are available at selected Cineworlds before the films commence. These usually take place in a bigger auditorium because of popularity ratings.
to operate a 'strict no food and drink policy' on items that have been bought elsewhere.
In 2008, a customer was thrown out of a Cineworld cinema after being searched by a security guard who found a bag of sweets. Consequently customers have to buy food and drink at the cinema despite price of food and drink items have been found to be four times higher than elsewhere at Cineworld. Other criticism towards the chain is it's unwavering support of 3D technology and in some sites it has been noted that for a whole week there is no option of 2D versions of films, forcing customers who either cannot or don't want to watch 3D films having to avoid screenings. Due to the general public starting to turn their backs on 3D films because of the inflated price of tickets and general poor quality of 3D technology, commentators have voiced concerns that Cineworld jumped on the 3D bandwagon too soon.
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
chain operating in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. The chain consists of 78 cinemas; 76 of which are located in the UK and one each in Ireland and Jersey. It is the second-largest cinema operator in the UK with 801 screens, and the owner of the single largest multiplex by screens and customer base in Ireland. Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street
Cineworld (Glasgow)
Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street is a cinema on Renfrew Street, Glasgow, located in the north east of the city centre, it is adjacent to the Buchanan Bus Station and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, as well as being close to Sauchiehall Street and Buchanan Galleries...
is the tallest cinema in the world and the busiest, by customer base, in the UK. Based on the number of screens, the biggest Cineworld cinema is at Valley Centertainment
Valley Centertainment
Valley Centertainment is a leisure and entertainment complex in the Don Valley in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built on land previously occupied by steel mills near what is now Meadowhall and the Sheffield Arena...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
with 20 screens.
History
The first Cineworld opened in StevenageStevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in July 1996, with its second cinema opening up in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
in November 1998 which was purpose-built. Since then it has taken over the UK and Ireland operations of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
cinema company UGC. In July 2005 it began integrating the two chains, taking the opportunity to introduce a new company logotype (with a shortened name, "Cineworld Cinemas"). Cineworld retained the UGC Unlimited Card (taken from Virgin Cinemas
Virgin Cinemas
Virgin Cinemas was founded in 1995 when Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group acquired MGM Cinemas, the largest movie theatre operator in the United Kingdom...
originally) and the UGC in-house magazine, also called Unlimited. The re-branding process of the former UGC cinemas was completed in September 2005, and as of April 2006 the company's websites and booking lines were merged into one combined service at cineworld.co.uk and the Cineworld Ireland site was completed in late 2007 at cineworld.ie
As part of the merger with the former UGC brand the Office of Fair Trading
Office of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...
announced that Cineworld must divest itself of six of its locations: Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
, Sunderland, Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
and Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
. These have now been sold to and re-branded as Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas Limited is a multiplex cinema chain in the UK. There are 17 Empire Cinemas with 141 screens in total, including the flagship Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London which hosts various film premières and first-runs.-Ownership & Management:...
. The Cineworld Birmingham — Great Park
Rubery
Rubery is a village in the Bromsgrove district of Worcestershire. Part of the village forms a southern suburb of Birmingham, England in the West Midlands. The village is from Birmingham city centre....
site was also later sold to Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas Limited is a multiplex cinema chain in the UK. There are 17 Empire Cinemas with 141 screens in total, including the flagship Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London which hosts various film premières and first-runs.-Ownership & Management:...
and rebranded by the end of 2006, leaving Cineworld with 71 sites in total.
The Blackstone Group
Blackstone Group
The Blackstone Group L.P. is an American-based alternative asset management and financial services company that specializes in private equity, real estate, and credit and marketable alternative investment strategies, as well as financial advisory services, such as mergers and acquisitions ,...
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.
As part of further developments, plans have been made to build more Cineworld sites. In time, older original Cineworld sites will gain the newer logo types (Cineworld Cinemas) as they undergo refurbishment (refurbishment will also be carried out at older former UGC sites as required, although the re-branding is basically already done).
Subscription service
Cineworld offers a subscription service using a membership card - the "Unlimited Card" - which provides subscribers with unlimited entrance for a set price per month. It is the only type of cinema subscription service available in the UK, Ireland and Jersey. The card has a minimum subscription period of 12 months. Admission to 3D3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
features incurs an additional fee of £1.50, and does not include the cost of 3D glasses. Tickets can only be acquired using the unlimited card on the day of the film is to be shown. During the summer of 2011, new customers who signed up to the unlimited card would receive the 13th month of subscription free.
Current locations
| Site | Screens | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... — Queens Links |
9 | UGC | |
| Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... — Union Square Union Square Shopping Centre Union Square is a shopping centre located in the centre of Aberdeen, Scotland, which opened to the public on Thursday, 29 October 2009. The centre contains a covered shopping mall and retail park.... |
10 | Cineworld | Opened 30 October 2009. All screens use digital projection although 3 screens can facilitate 35mm film also. |
| Ashford Ashford, Kent Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most... |
12 | Cineworld | |
| Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies on the north bank of the River Tame, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines... |
14 | Cineworld | |
| Bedford Bedford Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town... |
6 | UGC | |
| Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... — Broad Street Broad Street, Birmingham Broad Street is a major thoroughfare and popular nightspot in Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom. Traditionally, Broad Street was considered to be outside Birmingham City Centre, but as the city centre expanded with the removal of the Inner Ring Road, Broad Street has been incorporated into... |
12 | UGC | |
| Bradford Bradford Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897... |
16 | Cineworld | |
| Freeport, Braintree Braintree, Essex Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous... |
12 | Cineworld | |
| Brighton Brighton Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain... |
8 | UGC | |
| Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
14 | Cineworld | 12 screens operational |
| Boldon Colliery | 11 | UGC | |
| Bolton Bolton Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the... |
15 | UGC | |
| Burton upon Trent Burton upon Trent Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian".... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| Bury St Edmunds | 8 | Cineworld | |
| Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
15 | UGC | |
| Cambridge Cambridge The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| Castleford Castleford Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north... |
14 | Cineworld | |
| Cheltenham Cheltenham Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held... |
11 | Cineworld | |
| Chester Chester Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the... |
6 | UGC | |
| Chesterfield Chesterfield Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town... |
10 | Cineworld | |
| Chichester Chichester Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings... |
10 | Cineworld | |
| Crawley Crawley Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has... |
15 | UGC | |
| Didcot Didcot Didcot is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire about south of Oxford. Until 1974 it was in Berkshire, but was transferred to Oxfordshire in that year, and from Wallingford Rural District to the district of South Oxfordshire... |
5 | Cineworld | Chain's first non-box office site operating with a dual retail-ticket system |
| Dublin (Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... ) |
17 | UGC | |
| Dundee Dundee Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea... |
9 | UGC | |
| Eastbourne Eastbourne Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head... |
6 | UGC | |
| Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... |
13 | UGC | |
| Falkirk Falkirk Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow.... |
12 | Cineworld | |
| Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... — Parkhead Parkhead Parkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross... |
7 | UGC | |
| Glasgow — Renfrew Street Cineworld (Glasgow) Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street is a cinema on Renfrew Street, Glasgow, located in the north east of the city centre, it is adjacent to the Buchanan Bus Station and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, as well as being close to Sauchiehall Street and Buchanan Galleries... |
18 | UGC | The world's tallest cinema |
| Gloucester Gloucester Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham.... |
6 | UGC | |
| Harlow Harlow Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. It is located in the west of the county and on the border with Hertfordshire, on the Stort Valley, The town is near the M11 motorway and forms part of the London commuter belt.The district has a current population of 78,889... |
6 | UGC | |
| Haverhill Haverhill, Suffolk Haverhill is an industrial market town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, next to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire. It lies southeast of Cambridge and north of central London... |
5 | Cineworld | Opened 10 October 2008. Is the first site to use full customer automated ticketing system. |
| High Wycombe High Wycombe High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town... |
12 | Cineworld | |
| Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of... |
9 | UGC | |
| Huntingdon Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon... |
10 | Cineworld | |
| Ipswich Ipswich Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell... |
11 | Virgin | Opened 1st May 1998. All 11 screens now have digital projection with 6 also having Real-D 3D. Some screens still have 35 mm. When first opened this had 3 THX screens (sadly nolonger certified). |
| Leigh Leigh - In England :* Leigh, Dorset* Leigh, Greater Manchester** Leigh * Leigh, Kent* Leigh, Staffordshire* Leigh, Surrey* Leigh, Wiltshire* Leigh, Worcestershire* Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset... |
7 | Cineworld | |
| Llandudno Junction Llandudno Junction Llandudno Junction , once known as Tremarl, is a small town in the county borough of Conwy, Wales. It is part of the ancient parish of Llangystennin, and it is located south of Llandudno. It adjoins Deganwy and is to the east of the walled town of Conwy, which is on the opposite side of the River... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880... |
8 | UGC | |
| London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... — Bexleyheath Bexleyheath Bexleyheath is a main suburban district of Southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley with a small percentage of the district itself being in the London Borough of Greenwich. Bexleyheath is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is east south-east of Charing Cross... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| London — Chelsea Chelsea, London Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above... |
4 | UGC | |
| London — Enfield Enfield Town Enfield Town is the historic town centre of Enfield, formerly in the county of Middlesex and now in the London Borough of Enfield. It is north north-east of Charing Cross... |
15 | UGC | |
| London — Feltham Feltham Feltham is a town in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It is located about west south west of central London at Charing Cross and from Heathrow Airport Central... |
14 | Cineworld | |
| London — Fulham Road Fulham Road Fulham Road is a street in London, England, that runs from the A219 road in right in the centre of Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, through Chelsea to Brompton Road Knightsbridge and the A4 in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.Fulham Road runs parallel... |
6 | UGC | |
| London — Hammersmith Hammersmith Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames... |
4 | UGC | |
| London — The Haymarket The Haymarket Haymarket is a street in the St. James's district of the City of Westminster, London. It runs from Piccadilly Circus at the north to Pall Mall at the south... |
3 | UGC | |
| London — Ilford Ilford Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail... |
11 | Cineworld | |
| London — The O2 The O2 (London) The O2, visually typeset in branding as The O2, is a large entertainment district on the Greenwich peninsula in South East London, England, including an indoor arena, a music club, a Cineworld cinema, an exhibition space, piazzas, bars and restaurants... , Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time... |
11 | Vue | Cineworld Group Plc won a 25 year contract to operate The O2 multiplex from Friday 25 June 2010 |
| London — Shaftesbury Avenue Shaftesbury Avenue Shaftesbury Avenue is a major street in central London, England, named after Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, that runs in a north-easterly direction from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus.... |
7 | UGC | |
| London — Staples Corner Staples Corner Staples Corner is a major road junction in London, United Kingdom.It has two linked roundabouts and flyovers, which connect the A406 North Circular Road with the A5 Edgware Road and the start of the M1 motorway... |
6 | UGC | |
| London — Wandsworth Wandsworth Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:... |
14 | Cineworld | |
| London — West India Quay West India Quay West India Quay is an area on the Isle of Dogs in Docklands, London, England. It is immediately to the north of the West India Docks and Canary Wharf... |
10 | UGC | |
| London — Wood Green Wood Green Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:... |
12 | Cineworld | |
| Luton Luton Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000.... |
11 | Cineworld | |
| Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... Didsbury Didsbury Didsbury is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre, in the southern half of the Greater Manchester Urban Area... , Parrs Wood Parrs Wood Parrs Wood is an area of East Didsbury, in the southern part of the city of Manchester, England. It incorporates part of Wilmslow Road and is home to Parrs Wood High School and Sixth Form Centre, a Tesco supermarket, and Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre. Whilst there are some distinct features to... |
11 | UGC | |
| Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire... |
11 | UGC | |
| Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes... |
16 | Cineworld | |
| Newport Newport, Isle of Wight Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census... (Isle Of Wight Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent... ) |
11 | Cineworld | |
| Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
13 | UGC | |
| Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... |
14 | UGC | |
| Northampton Northampton Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is... |
9 | UGC | |
| Rochester | 9 | UGC | |
| Rugby Rugby, Warwickshire Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| Runcorn Runcorn Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north... |
10 | Cineworld | |
| Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... — Valley Centertainment Valley Centertainment Valley Centertainment is a leisure and entertainment complex in the Don Valley in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built on land previously occupied by steel mills near what is now Meadowhall and the Sheffield Arena... |
20 | UGC | Cinema with most screens in the chain. |
| Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council... |
8 | Cineworld | Opened November 1998. |
| Solihull Solihull Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest... |
5 | UGC | |
| St. Helens | 11 | Cineworld | |
| St. Helier (Jersey Jersey Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and... ) |
10 | Cineworld | |
| Stevenage Stevenage Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south.... |
16 | Cineworld | |
| Stockport Stockport Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name... - Grand Central Stockport |
10 | UGC | |
| Swindon Swindon Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east... |
7 | UGC | |
| Wakefield Wakefield Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001.... |
9 | Cineworld | |
| Weymouth | 9 | Cineworld | |
| Witney Witney Witney is a town on the River Windrush, west of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England.The place-name 'Witney' is first attested in a Saxon charter of 969 as 'Wyttannige'; it appears as 'Witenie' in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name means 'Witta's island'.... |
5 | Cineworld | Opened 30 October 2009. All screens use digital projection although 2 screens can facilitate 35mm film also. |
| Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region... |
14 | Cineworld | |
| Yeovil Yeovil Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140... |
10 | Cineworld |
Future Cineworld Cinemas
| Site | Screens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aldershot Aldershot Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council... |
7 | Opening 2012. |
| Hinckley Hinckley Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council... |
5 | Opening 2014. |
| London — Wembley City Wembley City Wembley City is a development plan by Quintain and Family Mosaic that takes place in Wembley Park, northwest London, UK. There are many new apartments built as part of the project. Quadrant Court was completed in March 2010. Demolition of Malcolm and Fulton House also took place in March 2010 for... |
9 | Located adjacent to Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena, this site is scheduled to open in 2013. |
| Macclesfield Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688... |
8 | Opening 2012. |
| Preston | 9 | To be an anchor tenant of the Preston Tithebarn redevelopment Preston Tithebarn redevelopment The Preston Tithebarn redevelopment project was a £700 million city centre regeneration initiative, which was intended to be developed by Preston Tithebarn Partnership, a 50/50 joint venture between Grosvenor and Lend Lease Corporation in partnership with Preston City Council. In October 2005,... . |
| St Neots St Neots St Neots is a town and civil parish with a population of 26,356 people. It lies on the River Great Ouse in Huntingdonshire District, approximately north of central London, and is the largest town in Cambridgeshire . The town is named after the Cornish monk St... |
7 | Opening 2012. |
| Telford Telford Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham... |
11 | Announced as part of the Southwater development. |
| Trowbridge Trowbridge Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset.... |
8 | Announced. |
Former Cineworld / UGC locations
The following locations were sold to Empire CinemasEmpire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas Limited is a multiplex cinema chain in the UK. There are 17 Empire Cinemas with 141 screens in total, including the flagship Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London which hosts various film premières and first-runs.-Ownership & Management:...
.
| Site | Screens | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... — Great Park Rubery Rubery is a village in the Bromsgrove district of Worcestershire. Part of the village forms a southern suburb of Birmingham, England in the West Midlands. The village is from Birmingham city centre.... |
13 | UGC | |
| Bishop's Stortford Bishop's Stortford Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the... |
6 | Cineworld | |
| Ealing Ealing Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village... |
3 | UGC | Now closed by Empire Cinemas since early 2009 for "redevelopment" |
| Sunderland | 12 | Cineworld | |
| Slough Slough Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London... |
10 | UGC | |
| Swindon Swindon Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east... — Greenbridge |
12 | Cineworld | Swindon was the only place to have a UGC & Cine-UK therefore had two Cineworld Cinemas for a brief time. |
| Wigan Wigan Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total... |
11 | UGC |
Unlimited Magazine
Unlimited Magazine (formerly known as Cineworld Magazine 2004-2005, Unlimited 2005-2007 & Cineworld Unlimited 2007-2011) is a cinema magazineMagazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
which was launched in early 2004 to start the cinema magazine generation. It's free in all Cineworlds. A Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
spin-off called Cineworld Unlimited Bollywood was launched in mid 2007 and was discontinued in mid 2008 as it did not gain much attention. It returned as a feature in the main Cineworld Unlimited magazine.
Movies for Juniors
Movies for Juniors is a special offer exclusive to Cineworld Cinemas that hosts three selected films on Saturday mornings.A previous sponsor for this offer was Kandoo. The current sponsor is Aquafresh
Aquafresh
Aquafresh is a brand of toothpaste that has been on sale since 1973. It is manufactured by consumer healthcare product maker GlaxoSmithKline...
.
On 1 July 2009, it was announced that Woolworths.co.uk would sponsor Movies for Juniors for the rest of 2009. To support this, Woolworths.co.uk advertisements would be shown for all performances at Cineworld Cinemas. Families who regularly attend Movies for Juniors, are able to register as a V.I.F. (Very Important Family), so that they can see selected films for free. The usual cost is £1 per person.
Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
and Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
Cineworlds host Movies for Juniors on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Ashton Under Lyne Cineworld hosts Movies for Juniors on a Saturday morning only at the usual cost of £1 per ticket.
Fun and games are available at selected Cineworlds before the films commence. These usually take place in a bigger auditorium because of popularity ratings.
Criticism
Cineworld is the only cinema chain in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to operate a 'strict no food and drink policy' on items that have been bought elsewhere.
In 2008, a customer was thrown out of a Cineworld cinema after being searched by a security guard who found a bag of sweets. Consequently customers have to buy food and drink at the cinema despite price of food and drink items have been found to be four times higher than elsewhere at Cineworld. Other criticism towards the chain is it's unwavering support of 3D technology and in some sites it has been noted that for a whole week there is no option of 2D versions of films, forcing customers who either cannot or don't want to watch 3D films having to avoid screenings. Due to the general public starting to turn their backs on 3D films because of the inflated price of tickets and general poor quality of 3D technology, commentators have voiced concerns that Cineworld jumped on the 3D bandwagon too soon.
External links
- Cineworld Cinemas UK, current chain site
- Cineworld Cinemas Ireland
- Cineworld Cinemas, former UGC Cinemas site now re-directs to new Cineworld website
- old Cineworld website at archive.org
- Cineworld (formerly UGC) Dublin
- Information on cinemas and film in Ireland
- http://lomondhotel.co.uk/Bed_and_Breakfast/around-lomond-hotel/shopping-in-glasgow.html Shopping in Glasgow
- http://www.sandyfordhotelglasgow.com/glasgow_cinemas_ugc_odeon.php Information on Glasgow Branch