Cineworld pushes back reopening date to end of July

Cineworld has pushed back the date it plans to reopen its cinemas following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The cinema chain will now not welcome back its UK customers until July 31 despite the fact that Government guidelines allow it to do so on Saturday.

The delay in reopening has been caused by changes to planned film release dates, according to a statement on the company’s website.

Cineworld had previously been scheduled to reopen on July 10.

New measures aimed at helping stop the spread of coronavirus will be introduced to cinemas including social distancing rules, seating capacity limits and contactless payments.

Mooky Greidinger, Cineworld CEO, said: “Movie fans around the world continue to be excited by the strong slate of summer films ahead, including Tenet, Mulan, A Quiet Place Part II, Unhinged, The Broken Hearts Gallery, Bill & Ted Face The Music, Greenland and Antebellum, as well as a special re-release of Christopher Nolan’s Inception on IMAX.

“Cineworld looks forward to welcoming these moviegoers back to our cinemas next month and believes that they will once again be immersed in the timeless theatrical experience they know and love.”

In April, Cineworld bosses deferred their pay packets for the past year after the company was forced to shut its entire portfolio of 787 cinemas.