National Amusements to bring Cinema de Lux brand to UK

Leisure Report, Sept, 2004

National Amusements, which owns 18 sites and operates 237 screens in the UK under its Showcase brand, is to introduce its Cinema de Lux brand to Britain.

The premium cinema brand will offer customers 'Director's Hall' auditoriums with leather rocking recliners, an escorted seating service, and pre-show live greetings; a concierge service in the lobby where staff will assist with items such as ordering a taxi or making an outside dinner reservation; and a bar/restaurant in the lobby of the cinema where patrons can enjoy dinner or drinks before or after the movie.

The CDI. brand has been roiled out in the US with "tremendous success." Entire theatres are dedicated to the brand and National Amusements plans to target "four to six new locations throughout the UK over the next five years." National Amusements declined to give details of planned ticket prices or start-up costs for the venture.

The company also announced a deal to introduce the Imax format to its screens, as part of its "major expansion plans underway in the UK". Imax, the extra-large cinema screen operator, said it planned to install its technology at up to 18 new sites, the majority of which could be located in the UK.

The first four screens in the deal will open in the US over the next 12 months, and another two will follow in 2005-2006, one of which will be in Britain. The agreement then covers an additional 12, which would be "predominately" in the UK, Imax said.

Imax built its reputation on in-house produced documentaries and short films but has recently been trying to engineer a move into the mainstream. It has introduced new digital technology which makes it possible to convert 35mm prints into the 70mm Imax format for between $2m and $4m and has begun to show blockbusters at roughly the same time as they are released in conventional cinema.

"The strong interest from National Amusements and other top multiplex theatre operators should help us attract even more digitally re-mastered Hollywood event films, which, in turn, can help us grow the Imax network around the world," said Richard L Gelfond and Bradley J Wechsier, Imax's co-chairmen and chief executives.