The Empire Cinema chain has collapsed into administration – closing six of its picture houses at once.
More than 150 jobs will go.
The closed premises include Bishop’s Stortford, Catterick Garrison, Sunderland, Swindon, Walthamstow, and Wigan.
Other sites across the group will remain open.
The already closed cinema at Sutton Coldfield will not reopen, the administrators from accounting firm BDO, announced.
It’s reported the closures are due to “challenges for the leisure sector from the impact of COVID-19, rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis”.
Administrator Tony Nygate said:
“The well-publicised challenges for the leisure sector from the impact of COVID-19, rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis have significantly affected the companies’ business.
“The remaining open sites are continuing to trade while we explore the sale of as much of the business as possible.”
