Odeon bosses accuse city over sale fear
Callum Johnstone
17 February 2003
Odeon bosses accuse city over sale fear
BY ANGIE BROWN
Odeon chiefs today hit out at council planners for putting the
company's city-centre cinema at risk.
Bosses broke their silence over speculation their Clerk Street cinema
is for sale and blamed the city's "aggressive development" of new
multiplexes for the art deco picture house's slump in profits.
And they warned the Edinburgh cinema market was "desperately close" to
saturation point following recent ventures including the Warner
Village development at Greenside Place and the Ster Century Cinema at
Leith's Ocean Terminal.
Since news emerged that the cinema, which is used for city movie
premieres, is facing its own final curtain, campaigners have taken to
the streets in a bid to save their local film house.
Scottish stars of the stage and screen - including Brian Cox, Dougray
Scott, Ronnie Corbett and James Cosmo have also united in protest
against the historic cinema closing its doors.
Today, city planners defended granting consent for the recent
multiplexes in the city saying they were unable to "protect" existing
cinemas from competition.
Richard Segal, Odeon Cinemas chief executive, said 57 screens have
been added to the city over the last 12 years.
"Concerns should be addressed towards the city planners who must
accept responsibility for enabling the aggressive development of new
multiplexes in the Edinburgh market place, without any apparent
thought for the existing cinemas.
"I can confirm that Odeon is currently testing the property value of
the building, whether for existing or alternative use."
Mr Segal also blamed the public for failing to support the cinema.
"The harsh reality is that the cinema-goers of Edinburgh have voted in
considerable numbers with their feet, turning their backs on the Odeon
Clerk Street in favour of the new multiplexes.
"Odeon has to adapt and respond to the changing nature of a market
place. In turn, local people shouldn't be surprised to lose a local
facility which they have stopped using."
Edinburgh city council's planning convener Bob Cairns, whose ward
includes Clerk Street, said he would be cautious before granting
consent to future out of town cinema applications in a bid to keep
custom in the city centre. "All cinemas granted consent are in
established shopping areas as national policy says. We can't protect
cinemas from competition if they are in the city centre. About four
years ago we turned down a multiplex cinema at Hermiston Gait because
it was not sustainable.
"Odeon is closing cinemas everywhere including Bristol, London and
Glasgow so to say it's because the city has too many multiplexes is a
bit misleading."
SNP parliamentary candidate for Edinburgh Central, Kevin Pringle, who
has written to Odeon management to highlight concerns for the cinema's
future, said: "The City Council - including local Labour councillors -
must take a big share of the responsibility for the threat facing the
Odeon in Clerk Street, having given planning consent for 57 new cinema
screens in Edinburgh since 1990.
"But none of these new multiplexes are anywhere near the Odeon, and
there is a clear need to retain this important centre for film on the
Southside."
It is not known if Odeon Cinemas, which has around 100 UK sites, will
include a restrictive covenant to prevent purchasers using it as a
cinema. Recently, the company inserted such a caveat into the sale of
the ABC cinema in Bristol.
Callum Johnstone
"Callum Johnstone" <callumj...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4e82bab9.0302...@posting.google.com...
> Edinburgh Evening News
> Bosses broke their silence over speculation their Clerk Street cinema
> is for sale and blamed the city's "aggressive development" of new
> multiplexes for the art deco picture house's slump in profits.
The new multiplex cinemas at Leith and Greenside offer a vastly superior
product, and in my opinion represent better value for money. Their sound
systems are much better and the seating/comfort is much better than at the
Clerk Street Odeon. It is no wonder that people are flocking to these new
developments. The Odeon bosses should be looking for ways to improve their
product and compete with the big boys, instead of whinging about Warner
Village and Ster Century.
Do they offer reduced admission to students for day time screenings, for
example? They have an excellent location right in the heart of Edinburgh's
student land. You'd think it should be fairly easy for them to compete, if
they were prepared to do things differently.
>
> And they warned the Edinburgh cinema market was "desperately close" to
> saturation point following recent ventures including the Warner
> Village development at Greenside Place and the Ster Century Cinema at
> Leith's Ocean Terminal.
These things wouldn't have been built in the first place if the demand
wasn't there! From what I have read, both the Greenside and Ocean Terminal
cinemas are doing very well. Choice can only be a good thing!
> Richard Segal, Odeon Cinemas chief executive, said 57 screens have
> been added to the city over the last 12 years.
>
> "Concerns should be addressed towards the city planners who must
> accept responsibility for enabling the aggressive development of new
> multiplexes in the Edinburgh market place, without any apparent
> thought for the existing cinemas.
It's not the Edinburgh council's job to look after the commercial interests
of Odeon Cinemas. The Council can't rightly refuse a rival development on
those kind of grounds, they would probably be taken to court for doing so.
>
> "I can confirm that Odeon is currently testing the property value of
> the building, whether for existing or alternative use."
>
> Mr Segal also blamed the public for failing to support the cinema.
>
> "The harsh reality is that the cinema-goers of Edinburgh have voted in
> considerable numbers with their feet, turning their backs on the Odeon
> Clerk Street in favour of the new multiplexes.
And so they have.
>
> "Odeon has to adapt and respond to the changing nature of a market
> place. In turn, local people shouldn't be surprised to lose a local
> facility which they have stopped using."
Their choice!
> SNP parliamentary candidate for Edinburgh Central, Kevin Pringle, who
> has written to Odeon management to highlight concerns for the cinema's
> future, said: "The City Council - including local Labour councillors -
> must take a big share of the responsibility for the threat facing the
> Odeon in Clerk Street, having given planning consent for 57 new cinema
> screens in Edinburgh since 1990.
The SNP oppose job creation and extension of choice for the cinema-going
public of Edinburgh ...? Interesting!
>
> "But none of these new multiplexes are anywhere near the Odeon, and
> there is a clear need to retain this important centre for film on the
> Southside."
Then the Odeon bosses must come up with a plan to make their venue more
attractive. That is not the business/responsibility of the City Council!
littlepepper
news:4e82bab9.0302...@posting.google.com...
>The new multiplex cinemas at Leith and Greenside offer a vastly superior
>product, and in my opinion represent better value for money. Their sound
>systems are much better and the seating/comfort is much better than at the
>Clerk Street Odeon.
I am invited to regular press screenings in Edinburgh, and actually, the
Clerk Street Odeon was the first in the city to install Dolby EX, ahead of
the release of Star Wars Ep. I. Their sound systems have been upgraded at
the same pace as everyone else - inline with industry standard, which is
unlike even the "newer" multiplexes. Walk into, say, the Warner in two
years' time - I'll bet they won't have spent a penny on theirs.
>It is no wonder that people are flocking to these new
>developments.
Erm, they aren't! I think you'll find there have been weeks since the Warner
opened where there have been more admissions to the Clerk Street Odeon than
the Warner. The clerk Screet Odeon is busier now than it was two years ago.
Ask the management and I'm sure they'll show you the figures. So why is it
closing? Because the company's owned by a group of venture capitalists, who
would sell the whole lot if they could (they're also closing Glasgow) but
can't because the other (newer) sites are tied to leases etc.
>The Odeon bosses should be looking for ways to improve their
>product and compete with the big boys, instead of whinging about Warner
>Village and Ster Century.
The "Big Boys"? Odeon are still the number one cinema chain in the country -
no matter how you measure it - be it by number of screens/sites, overall
admissions/profit etc...
>Do they offer reduced admission to students for day time screenings, for
>example? They have an excellent location right in the heart of Edinburgh's
>student land. You'd think it should be fairly easy for them to compete, if
>they were prepared to do things differently.
Erm, yes they do! Student prices, last time I looked, were only £3.20, all
day every day. Students got a good bargain there.
>These things wouldn't have been built in the first place if the demand
>wasn't there! From what I have read, both the Greenside and Ocean Terminal
>cinemas are doing very well. Choice can only be a good thing!
You've read wrong! I've already demolished that one above. Ster Century
tried to open a multiplex somewhere down south (can't remember exactly
where) 2½ years ago. They built it, furnished it, equipped it, recruited
staff... then said "erm, well actually we're not going to open it just yet".
They did not have the money to operate the site. It's still sitting there as
it was, last I heard about a month ago.
Peps
Callum Johnstone
"littlepepper" <yer...@yermaw.com> wrote in message
news:b3nt03$g78$1...@helle.btinternet.com...
> I am invited to regular press screenings in Edinburgh, and actually, the
> Clerk Street Odeon was the first in the city to install Dolby EX, ahead of
> the release of Star Wars Ep. I. Their sound systems have been upgraded at
> the same pace as everyone else - inline with industry standard, which is
> unlike even the "newer" multiplexes. Walk into, say, the Warner in two
> years' time - I'll bet they won't have spent a penny on theirs.
Very likely!
>
> >It is no wonder that people are flocking to these new
> >developments.
>
> Erm, they aren't! I think you'll find there have been weeks since the
Warner
> opened where there have been more admissions to the Clerk Street Odeon
than
> the Warner. The clerk Screet Odeon is busier now than it was two years
ago.
Of course. But I suspect there have been weeks when the reverse is true. I
also suspect the Warner Village will see more customers in 2003 than the
Odeon Clerk Street saw in 2002.
> Ask the management and I'm sure they'll show you the figures. So why is it
> closing? Because the company's owned by a group of venture capitalists,
who
> would sell the whole lot if they could (they're also closing Glasgow) but
> can't because the other (newer) sites are tied to leases etc.
Yup.
>
> >The Odeon bosses should be looking for ways to improve their
> >product and compete with the big boys, instead of whinging about Warner
> >Village and Ster Century.
>
> The "Big Boys"? Odeon are still the number one cinema chain in the
country -
> no matter how you measure it - be it by number of screens/sites, overall
> admissions/profit etc...
I was referring specifically to the Clerk Street Odeon in an Edinburgh
context.
>
> >Do they offer reduced admission to students for day time screenings, for
> >example? They have an excellent location right in the heart of
Edinburgh's
> >student land. You'd think it should be fairly easy for them to compete,
if
> >they were prepared to do things differently.
>
> Erm, yes they do! Student prices, last time I looked, were only £3.20, all
> day every day. Students got a good bargain there.
That would indeed be a good bargain
>
> >These things wouldn't have been built in the first place if the demand
> >wasn't there! From what I have read, both the Greenside and Ocean
Terminal
> >cinemas are doing very well. Choice can only be a good thing!
>
> You've read wrong! I've already demolished that one above.
No need to be aggressive! ;-)
> Ster Century tried to open a multiplex somewhere down south (can't
remember exactly
> where) 2½ years ago. They built it, furnished it, equipped it, recruited
> staff... then said "erm, well actually we're not going to open it just
yet".
> They did not have the money to operate the site. It's still sitting there
as
> it was, last I heard about a month ago.
Well, again, I was talking about cinemas in Edinburgh, not cinemas
"somewhere down south". You can be sure that Ster and Warner are netting a
healthy percentage of the Edinburgh cinema audience. In the UK context, I
read (correctly) that Warner considered the opening of their Edinburgh
cinema among their most successful launches.
I think it's astonishing how the imminent closure of the Clerk Street Odeon
has become a 'political' issue. My sources tell me that Cllr Robert Cairns
(whose council ward includes the cinema) was out collecting signatures for
his petition to save the Odeon. Absurd, given that he is convenor of the
city council's planning committee ... the same committee which granted
planning permission to, amongst others, Warner, to build their multiplexes
here in Edinburgh. Politicians never cease to amaze me! :-)
Michael Calwell
> From: "Callum Johnstone" <callumj...@blueyonder.co.uk>
> Organization: blueyonder (post doesn't reflect views of blueyonder)
> Newsgroups: alt.uk.edinburgh.misc,free.uk.talk.edinburgh
> Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 21:43:10 -0000
> Subject: Re: Odeon bosses accuse city over sale fear
>
> I think it's astonishing how the imminent closure of the Clerk Street Odeon
> has become a 'political' issue. My sources tell me that Cllr Robert Cairns
> (whose council ward includes the cinema) was out collecting signatures for
> his petition to save the Odeon. Absurd, given that he is convenor of the
> city council's planning committee ... the same committee which granted
> planning permission to, amongst others, Warner, to build their multiplexes
> here in Edinburgh. Politicians never cease to amaze me! :-)
I think the only way the Odeon can go is the way of the Cameo and Filmhouse
- i.e become a specialist cinema for the Southside. As a Southsider myself I
love the Cameo and the Filmhouse, but I can see a market for such a cinema
esp with the academic and student population.
Callum Johnstone
"Michael Calwell" <michael...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:BA862FA6.5E13%michael...@btopenworld.com...
> I think the only way the Odeon can go is the way of the Cameo and
Filmhouse
> - i.e become a specialist cinema for the Southside. As a Southsider myself
I
> love the Cameo and the Filmhouse, but I can see a market for such a cinema
> esp with the academic and student population.
I think that could well reverse the fortunes of the Clerk Street Odeon,
Michael. Good suggestion. The Cameo and Filmhouse are favourites of mine
too! And with a student population to support it, I think it would be a real
winner.
Michael Calwell
> From: "Callum Johnstone" <callumj...@blueyonder.co.uk>
> Organization: blueyonder (post doesn't reflect views of blueyonder)
> Newsgroups: alt.uk.edinburgh.misc,free.uk.talk.edinburgh
> Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2003 11:16:39 -0000
> Subject: Re: Odeon bosses accuse city over sale fear
>
>
Maybe worth suggesting unless they've thought of it already!