New owners for Abbeygate Picturehouse

Abbeygate Cinemas Limited have announced the acquistion of the Abbeygate Picturehouse from City Screen Limited.

This folows the Competition Commission decision that Bury St. Edmunds was an area that could suffer a lessening of competition after Cineworld’s acquisition of the Picturehouse group in Dec 2012.

Led by former City Screen Limited founding partner Tony Jones, the new owners have emphasised that it will be business as usual for the popular cinema. A seamless transition is planned with the programming services of Picturehouse Cinemas being retained.

They will also continue with a Membership scheme, honouring the existing Member benefits.

“It is great that we have been able to transfer the cinema into safe hands with Tony,” commented Lyn Goleby, managing director of Picturehouse Cinemas.

“The customers are tremendously loyal to Pat and to the cinema and now that we can announce the future I have every confidence that the cinema and café will go from strength to strength in the affections of local people.”

“What a brilliant outcome for the Abbeygate and Bury St. Edmunds that after months of hard work and uncertainty, we can now forge ahead under the new and exciting independent name of Abbeygate Cinema Ltd,” added Pat Church, Abbeygate general manager.