Cineworld, the second largest cinema operator in the world, is to temporarily close all of its venues in the UK and Ireland shortly.
The group, also reported to be planning to close 500 locations in the US, has a considerable number of amusement machines operating in its foyers.
In the case of the UK, the company is writing to the government making it plain that its future was not viable as things stand. It blames the virus pandemic and the resulting delayed release of major new movie titles.
The group has 128 cinemas in the UK and Ireland, employing over 5,000 people and already has financial problems. It revealed at the end of September that it had recorded a US$1.6bn loss for the half-year to the end of June with revenues down 65 per cent at $712m.
Most of its venues had been closed worldwide while the pandemic was at its worse and many have yet to reopen.
