Could there be a worse time to open a Cinema?

According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Independent Cinema Office (ICO),  nearly half of the UK’s independent community cinemas are operating at a loss. And if this wasn’t bad enough, a House of Commons committee report (2024-2025) heard that the UK has 977 cinemas - of which 447 were independent cinemas -but that number that has declined by a fifth since 2019  So, clearly the outlook is not auspicious.

The fact is that cinema hasn’t really recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic which shuttered venues across the land. More concerning still is the effect this has had on cinema-going habits since then. The frequency of visits has declined by 40% since the pandemic meaning that the average cinema goer who went 6 times a year will now only raise their bones to go out to see a film 3-4 times in a year. And in particular older audiences, somewhat irksomely known by the industry as the ‘grey pound’ have not returned with the same frequency of visits.

This is just part of a wider picture of changes to audience behaviour. With households signing up to multiple streaming platforms as well as paying their BBC license fee, people are spending more than ever on home screen entertainment, and they want to get value for money. Besides watching film on enormous home cinema systems with HD (High Definition) screens and immersive surround sound means that ‘in the comfort of your own home’ has never rung so true.

And then, what do you know?  at the start of May, the 47th President of the United States of America declared his intention to place 100% tariffs on all films ‘produced in foreign lands’ in an attempt to revive the Hollywood film industry. This could be devastating to UK film production but eventually cinemas, films and audiences too.  Bad timing indeed - you couldn’t make it up!

So, the chips are down, the prognosis is poor, and the future of the film industry looks far from certain….

Yet despite all this, last December when a call went up in the small market town of Ely for volunteers to start up a Community Cinema at the Maltings, a small army turned up to an open meeting. This might be a slight exaggeration. But at least 70 Ely folk came forward to help get the community cinema launched. Volunteers shared some of the reasons why they wanted to get behind this:

So, whilst it’s clear that there has never been a worse time to open a cinema, where there’s a will, there’s a way. It seems people just want to be part of something.  Our volunteers are not just enthusiasts, they bring all sorts of expertise with them from advertising, television, business, market research, graphic design, PR and social media. There are teachers, lawyers, project managers, arts administration and even a recently retired cinema manager!  

We have all got excited talking about what the ELY Community Cinema might do in the future–talks, fun-themed evenings in collaboration with the Maltings bar and restaurant,

Q&As with directors and actors, day schools, film club (Like a book club, but with films), relaxed screenings for those needing additional support, including neurodivergent audiences and those living with dementia, parent and baby sessions (Big Screams!). There is so much we could do. If you would like to be part of this, get in touch by mailing volunteer@elycinema.org.uk - look forward to hearing from you. But if you just want to enjoy a trip to the pictures once in a while, check out the fantastic range of films scheduled over the next few weeks and months at Ely Community Cinema – details on our website, Facebook page and the Visit Ely digital display boards around the town!