Hastings cinema closes its doors

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Mon, 30 Jan 2012 6:22p.m.

The cinema has closed its doors after almost 90 years

The cinema has closed its doors after almost 90 years

By Belinda Henley

Hastings moviegoers will have to travel to Napier for the big-screen experience, after the city’s only cinema closed its doors.

Last night’s showing of a movie called The Darkest Hour was the last for the Reading-branded theatre, after almost 90 years in operation.

Hastings will now be the only metropolitan centre in New Zealand without a movie theatre, and residents are disappointed by its closure.

Twenty staff have lost their jobs as a result of the closure, which they were only told about last Thursday.

A spokesman for the Reading group, which operates the cinema, would not elaborate on the decision to close but said the lease was up and it was a simple business decision.

However local investor Joanne Edwards says the lease doesn’t expire until August, and she hopes to find a way to give the city back its cinema. 

She is interested in purchasing the cinema’s chattels, but says she has yet to receive any formal communication from Reading.

The owners say they have had interest from local businesspeople interested in operating the cinema, but until a deal is done, the doors will be staying firmly closed.

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Comments

09 Feb 2012 10:54p.m.

Wills wrote:

Ah well Hastings took our hospital so we'll take your cinema...fair trade

01 Feb 2012 08:52p.m.

Sailornz wrote:

It's not a shortage of people wanting to go to the cinema, it's just a case of Bad management decisions. So you Locals buy your cinema back & support it, put your money were your mouth is .

31 Jan 2012 06:30p.m.

Kim wrote:

I watched jaws, star wars and grease in that theatre..i also scored my first boob squeeze in the back row..good times..sad to see it go.

31 Jan 2012 05:18p.m.

julie wrote:

so! sad... i dont drink..dont smoke my addiction was the big screen..a place to go to escape the realities of life.. the staff and managment gr8 people... will miss their smilie faces we are a city ..there should be a theatre here for us.. and yes this theatre should have been supported more.. since d.v.d's etc came out all i would hear.. "I'LL wait till that movie comes out on d.v.d" but! hey nothing like the big screen... So! hey there hastings city council..what can u do about this....

31 Jan 2012 08:50a.m.

Kiara wrote:

No mention of the 20 staff who have lost their jobs......... What will they do? And!!! If everyone is SO concerned, then why didn't they support the cinema more? I went there every week and was often the only person in the cinema...... No one can say the cost was too much, as Tuesday was cheap and thats when I went!!

30 Jan 2012 11:07p.m.

john wrote:

Why are they giving people another reason to download movies?

30 Jan 2012 09:26p.m.

Hannah wrote:

I am really pissed that the cinema was closed. I have nothing agaisnt Napier but since I hardly go there now I have to wait till movies I want to see come out on DVDs. Also if people want to see new movies they are either going to have to drive there or take a bus. That just adds more cost to people. I just hope that new people take over the lease so we can have the movies up and running again.

30 Jan 2012 07:58p.m.

Dave wrote:

There is a alternative to travelling to Napier cinemas, The Civic Theatre in Waipukurau screens the new movies and has the new Digital software. Not too mention the ticket prices are a bit easier on the wallet too