Almost a third of independent cinemas face closure within next three to five years without investment, according to new research.
A survey conducted by the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) found that 31% of independent cinemas and mixed arts venues in the UK said they would not be able to remain operational without capital investment, while a further 28% were unsure of their future viability.
Of the 109 venues polled, only 41% were confident that they could survive the next three years. The 69 venues that were able to provide estimates of their capital funding needs gave figures totalling more than £79m.
The most in-demand types of capital investment were: upgrading equipment and interiors (89%); investing in environmental sustainability (60%); business growth (56%); and building repairs (54%). More than 60% of capital projects needed to be undertaken immediately or within the next year.
The ICO said most of the participating venues were non-profit organisations that provided cultural experiences to underserved communities and made a vital contribution to their local economies. In contrast to other art forms, independent cinema has had no dedicated capital investment schemes for almost two decades, it said.
One example is Tyneside Cinema, the oldest surviving cinema in Newcastle, which operates from a Grade II-listed building in the heart of the city centre. Its CEO, Nic Greenan, called it a “bedrock” of independent cinema in the north-east.
But according to Greenan, the cinema – which is nearly 100 years old – is struggling to keep up with evolving customer expectations. “Investment to modernise and fix the building is vital to its survival,” she said. “As the last standing newsreel theatre in the country, it’s now or never to save it and future-proof this iconic building for future generations and the next 100 years.”
Leigh Film Factory, the only cinema in Leigh, Greater Manchester, is housed in the iconic Leigh Spinners Mill, another Grade II-listed building. Elizabeth Costello, the cinema’s development director, said it was “built entirely by volunteers on a shoestring budget, using recycled materials and with a green ethos”.
The cinema runs on a not-for-profit basis, bringing affordable and inclusive film to the community. “The margins in cinema are very narrow, and most of us just break even or run at a loss supported by our communities,” Costello said. “It’s very difficult for us to develop, grow and refurbish crucial technology like projectors without some capital input, but such improvements are essential to our survival.”
This week, it was reported that the Palace Theatre in Cinderford, Gloucestershire was selling off its old movie posters to compensate for decreased footfall and a rise in costs. “In order to keep the cinema, we’ve got to try to find some sort of alternative income stream,” said the owner, Andrew Lougher.
According to the ICO, the building works and repairs most needed by the venues polled were to roofs (57%) and windows (23%), while the most needed improvements for accessibility were new lifts (31%) and accessible toilets (26%).
The most needed environmental improvements were solar panels and battery storage (59%), new heating systems (34%), and building insulation (24%).
There was also high demand for upgrades to projectors (47%), seating (25%) and sound systems (25%), and significant interest in meeting growing consumer expectations with additional screens (48%), expansions and upgrades to cafe bars (46%), and building expansion or remodelling (33%).
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Independent cinemas make up half of all UK cinemas, according to the British Film Institute (BFI), which has a number of partnerships with independent venues.
On Thursday, MPs on the cross-party culture, media and sport committee recommended that the government should fund BFI proposals to deliver core funding for independent cinemas. The plan would include a capital funding pot to improve venues’ infrastructure and energy efficiency.
Ben Luxford, the director of UK audiences at the BFI, said: “This survey’s evidence reveals the stark reality facing many independent cinemas but also importantly where targeted investment is needed.”
The ICO’s director, Catharine Des Forges, said a wave of cinema closures “would devastate local cultural provision, see many historic cinema buildings shuttered and decimate independent cinema’s role in the economy and as incubators of British creative talent”.
Film-makers championed by independent cinemas before their commercial success include Christopher Nolan, Bong Joon-ho and Danny Boyle.
Earlier this year, the Prince Charles cinema in London launched a petition saying its existence was under threat from its property-developer landlords.
