Empire Cinemas collapses into administration

Empire Cinemas has collapsed into administration with the immediate loss of 150 jobs.

Six cinemas in the chain have closed, with a further eight under threat.

Administrators BDO said the impact of the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis had "significantly affected the companies' business".

Last month rival chain Cineworld, also fell into administration, hit by the pandemic and competition from streaming.

The Empire cinemas that closed on Friday are in Bishop's Stortford, Catterick Garrison, Sunderland, Swindon, Walthamstow and Wigan.

The remaining Empire sites in Birmingham, Clydebank, High Wycombe, Ipswich and Sutton, and the two Tivoli sites in Bath and Cheltenham, will continue to trade as the administrators look for a buyer.