THE FINAL CURTAIN FOR THE ABC
(BUT NOT FOR THE REGAL)

Article first posted: 14 December 2001
Last Updated: 11 August 2003
Writer: John Freeman

LANCASTER CINEMA RE-OPENS
15 /1/03: Lancaster's former ABC Cinema will re-open on 17 January 2003.

Northern Morris Associated Cinemas, which already runs cinemas in Windermere, Keighley, Elland and Skipton, will rename the cinema The Regal and again show mainstream films including the recently-released 8-mile starring rap star Eminen, Gangs of New York and Chicago.

Based in Grange-over-Sands, Managing director Charles Morris told The Lancaster Citizen he was looking forward to opening a cinema in a university town. "It's absurd that a city of the size and status of Lancaster should be without a commercial cinema," He said, echoing the disbelief of ocal film lovers when Odeon cinemas closed the ABC last year.
Northern Morris Associated Cinemas are determined to offer a range of films they feel will appeal to Lancaster's cinema fans.They already runs cinemas in Windermere, Keighley, Elland and Skipton.
NMAC head Charles Morris told Virtual-Lancaster he felt that the town lent itself toward "more imaginative programming" and hopes not only to screen mainstream releases but also films that are unlikely to get a wide screening.
Mr. Morris says he pursued the lease on the art-deco cinema for months prior to securing the deal, approaching the estate agents back in December 2001 after hearing of the ABC's imminent closure and the withdrawal by Village Cinemas from the UK, which spelled the end to plans for a new cinema in Church Street (see our ABC closure feature)."As soon as we discovered the premises were closing we made enquiries," he explains, "but we could not re-open any sooner for legal reasons."
"We're probably going to give the senior citizen screenings a go," he reveals of his programming plans, "and weekend screenings for children, subject to film availability.
"We might also try to do late night screenings," he adds, which he feels will be popular with Lancaster's huge student population, who might also respond to marathon film screenings.
Whatever his plans, here at Virtual-Lancaster we're delighted to see a locally-based cinema group bring the King Street building back to life, and we'll be promoting all their film releases on our Cinema Listings page and in our weekly e-newsletter.

Previously: Lancaster's ABC Cinema closed its doors on 1 September 2002. The leasehold to the cinema complex site was sold to Newcastle-based property company Sharewave Limited, owned by engineering giant Metnor.
Metnor's divisions also include mechanical and electrical shopfitting (and telecommunications) company Norstead, whose major clients include Ikea. Its longest serving client is Debenhams PLC and its clients also include Burton and Arcadia. Norstead cites commercial projects throughout the UK, including shopping centre infrastructure, as a major thrust in its business expansion plans.
11 people lost their jobs when the ABC closed, although they were all offered either a redundancy package or employment at other Odeon cinemas in the region.
The announcement followed reports in the Lancaster Guardian (21/6/02) which suggested the plan to close the cinema might have been withdrawn. But Virtual-Lancster since discovered that Odeon had already sold the leashold way back in December 2001. On 12 July, the Guardian reported news of the closure, the result of plans the Odeon had already begun to put into place last year, but delayed because of uncertainty over the opening of the new and much-delayed Warners cinema on Church Street. The future of that project remains mired in controversy and confusion, leaving Lancaster with no mainstream cinema.
The Odeon has been closing many of its cinemas over the last few years in the face of competition from new multiplexes. It has made no significant investment in the ABC Lancaster, either in terms of marketing or refurbishment.
In June the Guardian revealed the planned Warners cinema in Church Street may never open. Lancaster's ABC Cinema's closure was originally deferred just one week after news broke of a planned closure in January 2002.
Odeon Limited reversed their initial closure plans in January after local people protested that the closure would leave Lancaster without a mainstream cinema. But even then they revealed to Virtual-Lancaster that they had already marketed the property last year to assess interest. "Odeon tested the disposal of the ABC in the market place, both with other cinema operators and for alternative use," Odeon Cinemas Chief Executive Richard Segal revealed. The results of this 'testing the waters' in part contributed to the decsion to sell the cinema, in addition to the perceived threat to its business by Warners.
Despite the year-on-year rises in box office receipts nationally, retaining the ABC in Lancaster had to be based on its own returns. Many films have failed to attract sustianed audience levels, despite their national box office success.
Odeon said they could notwait for Warners to finalise their plans before making their own commercial decisions. "The decision has been made and the deal has now been completed and the lease sold," a spokeperson told the Lancaster Guardian. "We were under negotiation last year and we alwasy beleived Warner would open a cinema, but we cannot wait until they make up their own minds."
Responding directly to letters of protest about the planned closure in January Odeon Chief Executive Richard Segal had indicated in January that the cinema would remain open until Summer 2002.


What's happening to Warners?

No sign of Warner Bros. here -- the entranceway to the Ciniplex on Lancaster's Church Street. Photo: John Freeman

The opening of the new 1500 seater Warners Ciniplex in Church Street by Australian operators Village Cinemas International now seems in grave doubt.
VCI are in legal dispute over rent of the property with landlords Rotch as of June 2002 and have begun to withdraw operations from other countries in which it operates, including India, France and Germany.
The opening of the new six screen cinema - which has yet to be fitted out - has already been delayed for over two yearsand apart from the Litten Tree pub, none of the shop units have been rented out.
Both local businesses and the council have expressed their frustration at the delays, but hopes remain that a slimmed-down cinema operation may emerge.
"We do not, as yet, have a confirmed opening date for the new cinema," Warner Village Customer Services Manager Kate Hustwayte told Virtual-Lancaster in January. Then, Lancaster City Council's Planning Department said they are not expecting the new venue to open until late Spring 2002, at the earliest. However, the Litten Tree pub and restaurant which are part of the complex developed around the cinema by Lancaster Projects Ltd has been opened.
Virtual-Lancaster sources revealed in February 2003 that the annual leasehold for the Church Street cinema is being offered at around £50,000 per anumun and the cinema itself might be sold for £300,000. Since the ABC Lancaster made only £100,000 profit in its final year of trading, taking on the Church Street site on that basis would seem a risky business.
In May 2003, VUE bought the Warner Village chain in the UK (see press release) but the Lancaster site was not included in the deal.

Old cinemas fight losing battle
When the ABC closed its doors, 11 people will lose their jobs. They are not alone, as new multiplexes threaten older cinemas across the country. "A number of former ABC and some Odeon sites have closed recently," explains David Beevers, who sits on the National Council of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph, and Theatre Union, (BECTU). "This has been brought about by the intense competition from multiplex operators who are still opening sites when in fact the market is overscreened and saturated to the point where although nationally admissions are on the increase, on a per screen basis, they are on the decrease.
"One of the main casualty areas in this scenario are older sites which probably would require significant investment to bring them up to multiplex standards and may not structure wise lend themselves to having additional screens added and therefore simply could not compete with a state of the art Multiplex site like a Warner complex."
Odeon Cinemas national Marketing Director Ron Hanlon confirmed that the closure comes in response to the impending arrival of a new Warner Bros. Ciniplex. "It's literally impossible to compete," Mr. Hanlon told Virtual-Lancaster in January. Odeon Cinemas attempted to go head to head with a new multiplex in Falkirk. In the first week of its opening attendance figures dropped from 4000 to 40. The all-important teenage market deserted the older cinema in favour of the new venue in droves, says Hanlon.

A much-missed landmark
With its art-deco Flash Gordon-style frontage the ABC is a landmark building on Lancaster's busy King Street. Its traditional raked theatre seating, big screens and special offers made the ABC is the best quality (and cheapest) mainstream cinema in the area.
The building itself is owned by Gala, who run the adjacent bingo club. The Blue Tubes shop is part of the entire building. It's believed neither will be affected by the sale.

THANK YOU
Our thanks to all who wrote to the Odeon, to protest the closure. It seems certain it was those letters which kept the Odeon open for far longer than its owners had planned. As Virtual-Lancaster newsletter subscriber Mollie Baxter wrote on receiving news of the deferral: "Just wanted to say 'Well Done!' Just goes to show what a little bit of information and effort can do in the right hands!" Unfortunately, our campaign hasn't prevented closure but at least we can say we tried!

Where to watch films
The cinema has now re-opened as the Regal (see above). Lancaster also has a thriving independent cinema at The Dukes, boosted recently by excellent programming under the auspices of Film Officer Tim Young. However, the Dukes cannot screen major films as they are released because it would not be able to guarantee the long runs demanded by distributors. This partly because it is not policy to have long runs, and the limitations of the space.
The nearest cinemas are the Apollo, Morecambe and Warners Village in Preston. Those with private transport might also consider the excellent Brewery Arts cinema in Kendal, Zefirellis in Ambleside or The Royalty in Windermere (the latter is run by NAMC).

Send us your stories
We welcome your memories of cinema-going in Lancaster. The Lancaster Guardian ran run an excellent feature on Lancaster's old cinemas (14/6/02 issue), including the infamous "Bug-House" in Lower Church Street, famous for its cockroaches!

Additional Links

• Clitheroe Grand Cinema
York Street
Clitheroe
Telephone 01200 423278

The Clitheroe Grand Cinema has seen a variety of films on its screen. its matinee and evening performances have made cinema-going something that can be enjoyed by everyone who lives or comes into Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley.
The cinema is managed by independent charity and a not-for-profit company Trinity Community Partnership Clitheroe, The Trinity Centre, Wesleyan Row, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB72NJ. Telephone 01200 427886 Fax 01200 444509

• Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph, and Theatre Union
ndependent union for those working in broadcasting, film, theatre, entertainment, leisure, interactive media, and allied areas who are primarily based in the United Kingdom.