Abba cheer at Cineworld
EVEN the prospect of Piers Brosnan singing in the movie Mamma Mia! has not deterred families from fleeing the misery of the credit crunch to go to the pictures.
Cinema chain Cineworld said yesterday families were replacing long holidays this summer with trips to venues such as the cinema.
“When times get tough people have to get out of the house,” said chief executive Stephen Wiener. “One of the least expensive places to go is the cinema.”
A lack of blockbuster films caused admissions to fall 4.8 per cent in the first half of the year, he said, but the second half started well, boosted by Mamma Mia! with its 22 Abba songs and Batman movie The Dark Knight.
First-half revenues were up 0.9 per cent to £137million while profits rose 19.5 per cent to £14.1million.