Coinslot May 20 - May 26, 2011 Leisure
BBPA calls for extended opening hours
Altitude resort to
Following the success open in 2012 of the Royal Wedding bank holiday, which saw UK pubs enjoy
an estimated £600m boost to tak- ings, the BBPA has called on minis- ters to agree to extended hours over the four-day bank holiday in June 2012 and for the opening and clos- ing ceremonies of London 2012.
leisure briefs
Developers behind a proposed new £390.2m leisure development in Dundalk, Ireland, have revealed that the first phase of the scheme is due for completion in late 2012. Proposals are now being consid- ered by the Irish planning appeals board and a final decision is ex- pected by the end of January 2012.
Odeon & UCI expand in Europe
RIDES THAT KNOW YOU’RE RUNNING SCARED
The New Scientist has reported on research by a group from the University of Nottingham on using bio- feedback to control amuse- ment park rides. The team have used the technique on a bronco ride, which was hooked up to medical sen- sors measuring heart rate and breathing and reacted to the data. Designers are said to be interested in using the idea to make rides and attractions more scary.
OPPOSITION TO CHURNET VALLEY PLANS
A conservation group in Staffordshire is attempting to stop two planned devel- opments in Churnet Valley: a new leisure park on the site of a former quarry and of a new heritage train line (pic- tured) to the Alton Towers theme park from Stoke- on-Trent. Friends of Churnet Valley want to preserve the valley, known as Stafford- shire’s Little Switzerland, unspoiled for future genera- tions. The local council has said it will try and balance preservation with the need to create jobs.
CINEMAS
The Odeon cinema chain is delivering on its promise of swift expansion and is now one of the major operators in Europe. Even as it does so, its private equity owners are continuing to negotiate for a possible sale.
T
he UK’s largest cinema chain, Odeon & UCI Cine-
mas, has acquired nine multiplexes from UGC Cine Cité, five in Spain and four in Italy. In Spain, the acquisi- tions in Madrid, Valladolid and Cadiz adds 92 new screens to its Cinesa sub- sidiary, bringing the total number to 494 and around 400m visitors per year. The purchase of the four mul- tiplexes in Rome, Turin and Rimini adds 62 new screens in Italy, bringing the total number to 369 across 32 sites. Across Europe,
the
group will now operate 215 cinemas and 2,039 screens. Rupert Gavin, CEO of Odeon & UCI Cinemas, said: “With the integration of UGC cinemas to the group in both Spain and Italy, our guests will bene- fit from the advantages that the company offers in all its territories:
pre-booked
seats, access to the loyalty program and online,
phone, ATM ticket pur- chases - and leadership in the conversion to digital.” He added: “In Rome, we now hold a total of four cinemas, which alone rep- resent 10 per cent of the total market. Together with our new sites and those already in our port- folio, we look forward to increasing admissions across the Spanish and Italian markets - as well as further afield in the near future.”
The company, which belongs to UK private equity firm Terra Firma founded by Guy Hands, has also just completed a £500m bond issue, which analysts say could make it easier for the company to be sold. The offer was the first ever high-yield bond issue in the European cinema industry and includes an unusual stipu- lation that it will not pay compensation to investors if ownership changes hands in the next six months. Terra Firma is said to be continuing
Increased focus for LIW 2011
The organisers of Leisure Indus- try Week 2011, which takes place on September 20-22 at NEC Birm- ingham, are now booking exhibitor stand space. “This year’s LIW prom- ises to be more focused and com- pelling than ever before [with] a combination of show floor activities, educational seminars and network- ing events,” UBM Live said.
11 Email:
hs@sjc.co.uk
Irish government cuts tourism VAT
Ireland’s tourism industry has been handed a boost by the gov- ernment after plans to reduce the tax burden on the sector were re- vealed by finance minister Michael Noonan. VAT on restaurants, ho- tels, cinemas, theatres and other attractions will fall from 13.5 per cent to nine per cent.
negotiations with poten- tial buyers BC Partners and Omers Private Equity. Terra Firma is believed to be asking £1.2bn for the company,
somewhat
higher than a price of between £700m and £1bn that the markets were expecting.
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