Directors on the board of Oban’s community-run cinema are cutting back the opening hours.
Too many empty seats at the town’s Phoenix Cinema means its doors will stay closed on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday once schools go back after half-term.
From Tuesday February 20, instead of screenings seven days a week, films will only be shown on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the foreseeable future.
Ali Craig, one of the board directors, said rising overhead costs left them no other choice for now.
"Like everyone else we are feeling the cost-of-living crisis. We are heating and lighting an area that is not being used by the community and that can’t continue. Locals just aren’t using the cinema as they once did," she said.
It was only about five years ago that the cinema had a make-over in a bid to make it more welcoming, creating more foyer space by moving the concession area nearer the larger of the two screens.
When Covid closed the cinema, people used money they would have spent by signing up to online viewing subscriptions such as Disney and Amazon and "never really came back," said Ali.
"For a lot of people, the experience of going to the cinema is no longer what they want. It’s easier to have a film night at home and it’s cheaper but it’s just not the same as making a treat or night out of it. It’s more than just watching a film.
"As a charitable business, we know the pinch of prices going up. We are also having to fork out those extra costs, even paying more for the popcorn we sell.
"Reducing our opening hours is not a new decision that we’ve never taken before. We have done it before, especially in winter, however in previous times it’s just been a Monday and Tuesday.
Nine jobs rely on the cinema, there will be less working hours on the rota when the change comes in.
Ali said: "We could be at critical point if we don’t take these measures now and cut our opening hours. There will be reviews to see if we can open more days again but to do that we need people to come and support us and fill the empty seats - without them it won’t happen."
From pre-pandemic figures versus this year’s financial figures so far, the takings at Oban Phoenix Cinema are down overall. The biggest drop is in its footfall of people coming in to see films - a 16 per cent drop overall.
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