Empire Cinemas collapses into administration with six UK locations shut down and 150 jobs lost

Empire Cinemas has been forced to close six of its UK locations with immediate effect after entering into administration, it emerged today. The Empire Cinemas locations that are closed are in Bishop's Stortford, Catterick Garrison, Sunderland, Swindon, Walthamstow and Wigan. The firm - which owns 14 cinemas with 129 screens - is holding onto its other sites in the hopes that it will find a buyer The Empire Cinema locations that will close today - and the ones that will remain open CLOSED: Bishop's Stortford Catterick Garrison Sunderland Swindon Walthamstow Wigan OPEN: Birmingham Clydebank High Wycombe Ipswich Sutton Bath Cheltenham Justin Ribbons, CEO of Empire Cinemas, said: 'As a consequence of Covid-19, we found ourselves in a position where we were mandated by Government to close down our cinema chain in its entirety for protracted periods in 2020 and 2021, leaving us with a high fixed cost base and no income. 'Gift cards, tickets, e-codes, guest passes and readmission tickets remain valid for redemption at trading Empire Cinemas at Birmingham, Clydebank, High Wycombe, Ipswich and Sutton, but refunds are not available.