Cineworld has confirmed plans to temporarily bring the curtain down on its UK and US cinemas because of continuing disruption from the coronavirus pandemic.The company said its decision affects 45,000 staff - leaving their future employment hanging in the balance
Cineworld will close all of its cinemas in the UK, Ireland and US this week because of the impact of coronavirus, a Reuters news agency source has said.
It follows the announcement that upcoming Bond film No Time To Die has been pushed back to April, after it was set to be released in cinemas next month.
Cineworld could shut all of its 128 UK and Ireland cinemas, putting up to 5,500 jobs at risk, according to The Sunday Times.
Image:Cineworld is one of the world's biggest cinema operatorsThe decision may be announced as early as tomorrow with the chain's bosses preparing to write to Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to say the industry has become "unviable", the newspaper reported.
Cinemas were closed in March when the UK went into a national lockdown, but reopened in England on 4 July.
The industry has struggled during the coronavirus crisis and last month Cineworld announced half-year losses of $1.6bn (£1.3bn).
There was solid demand for Christopher Nolan's action-thriller Tenet last month, but the postponement of the latest Bond film's release will have been a huge knock-back for cinemas.
Cineworld has confirmed plans to temporarily bring the curtain down on its UK and US cinemas because of continuing disruption from the coronavirus pandemic.The company said its decision affects 45,000 staff - leaving their future employment hanging in the balance
news.sky.com/sto…530
Cineworld will close all of its cinemas in the UK, Ireland and US this week because of the impact of coronavirus, a Reuters news agency source has said.
It follows the announcement that upcoming Bond film No Time To Die has been pushed back to April, after it was set to be released in cinemas next month.
Cineworld could shut all of its 128 UK and Ireland cinemas, putting up to 5,500 jobs at risk, according to The Sunday Times.
Image:Cineworld is one of the world's biggest cinema operatorsThe decision may be announced as early as tomorrow with the chain's bosses preparing to write to Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to say the industry has become "unviable", the newspaper reported.
Cinemas were closed in March when the UK went into a national lockdown, but reopened in England on 4 July.
The industry has struggled during the coronavirus crisis and last month Cineworld announced half-year losses of $1.6bn (£1.3bn).
There was solid demand for Christopher Nolan's action-thriller Tenet last month, but the postponement of the latest Bond film's release will have been a huge knock-back for cinemas.
Full story / credit Sk news bbc.co.uk/new…213