Empire Cinemas the latest chain to go into administration; what sites are affected and who is its CEO?

Add Empire Cinemas Group to the list of cinema chains that have been affected by post COVID-19 audiences going into administration. A week since Cineworld’s CEO Mooky Greidinger revealed that the chain would go into voluntary administration this month, Empire Cinemas will now be closing a select number of theatres in an effort to keep the business afloat in the hope of an investor. 

Empire Cinemas Group CEO, Justin Ribbons, took to the company’s website to highlight the challenges faced by the company; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in prolonged closures mandated by the government, leading to a high fixed cost base and no income. Despite the easing of restrictions, cinema attendance levels have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. 

The operating environment for Empire Cinema also remains highly challenging, with rising utility costs, rates, and the recent increase in inflation, which have led to the chain’s overall costs rising and as such added more of a squeeze to the pockets of cinema goers, with the cost of living crisis also being cited as another reason for the lack of custom across the chain.

The decision to enter administration was not taken lightly, Ribbons stated, but was seen as a necessary step to protect the viable parts of the business and secure jobs; the belief is that by appointing administrators, Empire Cinemas aims to navigate these box office lag affecting many cinemas and films across the world effectively. 

Though unlike some other administration procedures, the chain will still honour gift cards and ticket e-codes purchased by customers for now. Advance ticket bookings at the cinemas that continue to trade will remain valid, while refunds have been issued for advance ticket purchases at the closed cinemas.

Out of the 12 cinemas operated by Empire Cinemas, six have been closed with immediate effect. The affected locations include Bishop's Stortford, Catterick Garrison, Sunderland, Swindon, Walthamstow, and Wigan. The remaining six cinemas, located in Birmingham, Clydebank, High Wycombe, Ipswich, Sutton, Bath, and Cheltenham, will continue to operate as the company seeks a potential buyer to secure their future.

Who is Empire Cinemas CEO, Justin Ribbons?

There is not a large amount of information regarding Justin Ribbons, regarding his net worth or his family life. What PeopleWorld has found out is that the CEO was born in 1961 and, according to IMDB, has been involved in film production since 2011.

Those credits include the 2018 film “The More You Ignore Me,” “Britten’s Peter Grimes” in 2014, “Vinyl” in 2012 and a series of English National Opera productions that made it to cinema screens.

Marketscreener also points out that before taking the helm of Empire Cinemas, Ribbons was also on the board of TerraBioGen Technologies, Inc., Pearl & Dean Cinemas Ltd. and Clarkebond (UK) Ltd. In the past Mr. Ribbons held the position of Vice President-Business Affairs & General Counsel at UCI Inc and received an undergraduate degree from The University of Manchester.

Endole also revealed that Ribbons has had quite the history with cinema in the past, with roles ranging from director to secretary between 2005 and 2006, but started his profession at Flowserve Flow Control (UK) Limited as a company solicitor between 1993 and 1994.