Ordinary Gweilo

Maybe someone from AMC Cinemas took notice of my recent complaint.  They have not only implemented an Internet Booking system, but it is actually better than the one used by UA Cinemas – firstly because it’s all one site (UA send you off to Cityline where you have to switch to English, find the film and enter your password) and secondly because there’s no booking fee.

Unfortunately, AMC will shortly be closing 4 of the 11 screens they have at Festival Walk, and I figure that will mean fewer films in English.

However, to make up for this they will be taking over part of the space previously occupied by UA in Festival Walk Pacific Place (another mall owned by Swire).  Note that the new cinema will be smaller than the old one.

According to the SCMP, the rents charged for cinemas are significantly lower than they are for shops.  A cinema pays its way by attracting visitors to the mall, and similar logic applies to other "anchor tenants" such as department stores.  When opening a new mall, you need those guys, but once you get established maybe you can manage without them. 

Swire, the owners of Pacific Place, have already demonstrated their confidence by getting rid of Marks & Spencer, and now they are reducing the number of cinema screens as well.

Time to buy shares in Swire?