Saturday night has lost its title as the most popular night to go to the cinema, in the latest evidence of Britons cutting back.
That’s according to Cineworld boss Steve Wiener, who said that half-price tickets available on Wednesdays had ousted Saturday night as the busiest night at the flicks.
“The downturn in the economy means more people are coming on discount days, and Wednesday is now the busiest day of the week for admissions,” Wiener said.
Cineworld posted a 6.3% rise in revenues between January and May. Box-office sales were up 8.6%, and the popcorn index of discretionary spending was up too, as moviegoers spent an extra 3.9% on food and drink.
That was on easy comparables, though, as this time last year The King’s Speech was filling up cinemas with older people who traditionally buy less popcorn.
“The cinema is still the cheapest form of entertainment,” Wiener claimed. “The Avengers has been phenomenal so we’re really happy to hear that a sequel is already in planning stages. In fact, sales have been so strong I hear rumours they’re planning more for later down the line.”
Cineworld expects to be hit by the Olympics. “The closer you are to London, the worse it will be,” said Wiener.
