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Cineworld planning to reopen all cinemas from July


CINEWORLD is preparing to reopen all of its UK cinema branches in July.

It has said all of its 787 cinemas will be open again, subject to government guidance.

The cinema chain said it hopes to open from July

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The cinema chain said it hopes to open from JulyCredit: Alamy

The cinema chain closed its doors on March 17, just ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s lockdown announcement on March 23.

The company, which owns the Picturehouse cinema chain, said in a statement: “Cineworld currently anticipates that government restrictions related to cinemas will be lifted in each of its territories by July. 

“Subject to this and confirmation of the schedule for film releases, Cineworld anticipates the reopening of all of its cinemas in July.”

It had been expected that cinemas, along with pubs and hairdressers, will be allowed to open if the UK passes five tests.

These include the rate of infection dropping to manageable levels, a sustained and constant fall in the death rate, and there being enough testing and PPE.

Cineworld, which has 787 cinemas around the world and 128 in the UK, said it has put in place procedures to ensure a safe and enjoyable cinema experience for its employees and customers.

It comes as Boris Johnson confirmed that non-essential shops will reopen on June 15 and hairdressers and pubs prepare to reopen in July, according to the government’s three-stage roadmap plan.

Odeon, Vue, and Picturehouse have also all kept their doors shut since March.

The statement also said it has agreed to new funding.

It said: “Cineworld expects that this additional liquidity, to the extent required, will provide it with sufficient headroom to support the Group even in the unlikely event cinemas remain closed until the end of the year.”

The funding includes $110m of liquidity to increase its credit facility, and £45bn from the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).

To safely reopen cinemas, the Government will introduce pilot reopening in order to test the social distancing guidelines.

Cineworld owns a number of cinema chains including Picturehouse which has 26 sites in the UK.

A number of businesses have begun to open their doors again, including restaurant chains and garden centres.

While some high-street shops, including John Lewis, are also planning on reopening next month.

Many homeware shops, including Halfords, that temporarily closed have also began to open their doors again.

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