Picturehouse, the UK boutique cinema arm of struggling global exhibitor Cineworld, has officially confirmed the closure of two historic UK venues that were renovated before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The distributor and exhibitor announced the closure of the Fulham Road theater on 11 July in an email to members of its loyalty programme.
The letter, titled ‘A fond farewell to Fulham Road’, said: ‘We regret to announce that we have made the difficult decision to close the Fulham Road Picturehouse from Thursday 11 July. Until then, you can continue to enjoy everything the cinema has to offer.
This correspondence comes just two days after the company confirmed on its X account that the Bromley Picturehouse theater on the outskirts of London would close its doors on August 1.
These announcements follow news in early June that Cineworld was exploring options for its UK business which could include a potential sale or restructuring.
According to a Sky News report, Cineworld has hired AlixPartners, which helped the exhibitor navigate Chapter 11 in the US following pandemic-era losses.
Neither Picturehouse nor Alix Partners responded to inquiries for an update on future plans for Cineworld’s UK assets or whether more cinemas are expected to close.
Both cinemas are listed buildings dating back to the 1930s, as well as well-known and loved venues in their respective locations.
Picturehouse took over management of the two Cineworld sites in 2019 and embarked on ambitious renovations to return them to their 1930s glory.
The company failed to reap the benefits of the ambitious scheme, with the Covid-19 pandemic shuttering the entire exhibition sector just months after the beautifully restored venues had reopened for business.
The future of both theaters is unclear.
There are unconfirmed local rumors that the Fulham Road theater has been earmarked for a luxury apartment development, while a London property management company recently applied for an entertainment license for the site.
In Bromley, news of the impending closure sparked a local campaign to keep the theater open.
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