Curtain up on cinema expansion plans for 17 screens
Wednesday December 23 2009
A DUBLIN cinema is planning to expand by adding five screens, with seating for more than 400 people.
Irish Multiplex Cinemas in Dun Laoghaire has applied for planning permission for its premises at the Bloomfield Centre in the town. The new screens would bring the total to 17.
According to the application lodged with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the extension would require changes to the first floor, including new public access stairs.
Alterations would have to be made to the 12th screen, while the five new screens would have a total of 405 seats and 10 wheelchair accessible seats. The plan includes new office space and exterior alterations.
IMC has five branches in the Republic as well as one in Co Antrim.
Highest
It is part of the country's biggest cinema group -- Ward Anderson, which also owns Omniplex and Cineplex chains, as well as Dublin's Savoy and Screen cinemas.
According to figures, Irish cinema ticket sales for January this year exceeded 1.7m, the highest January admissions on record. Admissions in February were more than 1.5m, representing an increase of 8.2pc on the same month in 2008.
By the summer blockbuster season, admissions in Ireland were up 12pc year-on-year as people sought a cheap form of escapism.
aphelan@herald.ie
- Andrew Phelan
