Coronavirus forcing UK cinemas to shut down

Cinema houses are the latest victims of Coronavirus as the disease continues its onslaught on business activities across the world.

Coronavirus had negatively affected oil price, trade and airline operations globally, now cinema operators are left counting their losses as they are shutting down over fear of the virus.

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Cinemas in the UK are shutting down, urging the government to support them in order to remain in business as the lockdown will affect their revenue generation. The decision to stop screenings came after the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, advised against social gatherings like Pub and Restaurants.

Companies like VueOdeonCineworld and Picturehouse are some of the Cinemas locking up until further notice in the UK, with return date as far as May. According to the operators, the decision is part of their contribution to curbing the spread of the virus, which has infected about 189,683 people globally.

 

Speaking on Vue’s shutdown, Tim Richards, founder and CEO of the cinema, said, “Since the first news of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have been doing everything we can to provide a high quality, enjoyable and safe big screen experience for our customers. 

“However, in line with the UK Government’s latest public health advice, we will be closing all our 91 cinemas in the UK and Ireland from today, March 17, until further notice. As you would expect, we are also doing our part by putting employment policies in place so that our staff are protected and are not penalised financially.

“We want to wish all our customers and employees well during these difficult times. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to welcoming you back at one of our cinemas soon.”

Cineworld Group CEO Mooky Greidinger said, “At Cineworld and Picturehouse we are committed to providing safe and healthy environments for our employees and guests and have therefore made the difficult decision to close our cinemas in UK and Ireland until further notice.

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