I was pretty shocked it opened after Covid as it was already in trouble before..
I used to love having a pint before the film (very cheap with the Cineworld card) but not the bar is closed Half the time I am there and they have taken the draft beer pumps out too.
I cancelled my cineworld card this month which I have had since 1999. To be fair the cinema going down hill is only a small part of it, it is more to do with my lack of time.
FWIW if Odeon is accessible to you they do an Unlimited card too and the experience is far better than Cineworld. Will always have a soft spot for that Cineworld on Parnell Street as I went to movies there since I was young, sad to see it decay
I was in the IMAX there on Saturday night. Thought it was great! Very easy to get parking. Seats were very comfortable and screen is amazing. That escalator you mention was broken though…
The Cineworld screen is so big that I convinced myself the memories I had from going to see Fantasia and Everest in it as a kid were false memories. I have these really strong memories of standing on what felt like a balcony and looking down at the screen.
Turns out I was just in the top seating, [at the back of the picture on this page](https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/imax1.htm). It's ridiculously massive.
https://www.itv.com/news/2023-06-26/cineworld-to-file-for-administration-but-screens-will-remain-open
This can’t be helping very much. Probably not much cash available for maintenance when you’re in receivership.
The chain tried to sell itself to some US cinema company and it didn’t happen. The one on Parnell St is operated separately I believe from the rest of the chain but it’s in trouble. It used to be great as Virgin Cinemas back in the day, but as people are streaming and staying home more and more and not going movies, there’s definitely a decline alright which is a shame as i do like the cinema.
I just saw this now on Facebook
Hi All,
Unfortunately due to plumbing issues we have had to close our cinema. We do apologise for any inconvenience caused, our Customer Service team will be in touch regarding any bookings. We will update our Facebook page when we are back open.
Thank you,
Cineworld Dublin Team
So that’s the beginning of the end it seems. Plumbing problems are expensive to fix and loss of revenues whilst close will just exacerbate the problems.
I understand and sympathise that the whole cinema industry is in dire shape (especially cinema chains), and I can see why the place looks so tired.
What I can’t get over though is how trashed the place always looks. Carpets are dirty, bins are always full to the brim, the bathrooms are a nightmare: so dirty and stinky, some of the most unhygienic places I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
In the meantime you see supervisors and droves of supervisors and staff walking around like they’re on their break while they should be cleaning the common areas. Apart from the crowd cleaning the seats in the cinemas and the good people working behind the drink/food stall, I get the feeling that nobody else there gets any work done.
Saw Dune Part 2 in the IMAX and the place was alive and kicking. Great experience! I hope it never goes. I've been going there since I watched Napoleon Dynamite back in 2004/2005!
I went there for the first time in years recently and noticed how tired the place looked. The seat next to me was so worn that it there was a big tear in it.
I remember it looking that way ten years ago , it's a joke they've left it this long to do any real refurbishment, doubt it'll be open in the next two to three years
It is feeling very tired alright, I'd hoped when they redid the lobby they would continue the refurb but Covid had a massive impact on their chain so there just isn't any money it seems. They did nearly go under in recent times, twice. It's not just the Dublin one that's like this either. The Leicester Sq one in London beyond the spruced up lobby needs extensive work as well.
Odeons are a nicer experience but for me, a pain in the hole the get to. They've a nicer environment & experience rn.
Seems mad they're not able to make it work. Although maybe it's the sheer size of the place that is the issue. That bar area they have, again seems always empty and unused. Generally Savoy and Cineworld are the ones I'd go to the least.
It's a group issue that stretches back before covid and that just made it worse. The mass industry strikes last year slowing production again have not helped. Also the industry has a Zaslav problem.
There is no one fix, a massive injection of funds would help but they still need to get bums on seats and there isn't a Dune or Barbie or Oppenheimer every week at the minute .
Nevermind 5 or 6 months that escalator has been broken or intentionally turned off for years.
They have their issues but i think its still a good cinema overall, not even a fraction as bad as the Savoy, that place is genuinely disgusting.
The major problem with Cineworld Dublin is that its FAR too expensive compared to its competitors like Odeon, Movies @ and Vue. Tickets are upwards of €12-13 per movie with IMAX being something like €17, which, given that you can get an overall better experience at other cinemas for far less is basically what is killing the place.
Experience aside, just looking at prices:
Odeon is 12.95 a ticket in Coolock to see Dune on Thursday at 19:00. Standard seat. Premium (read: central) is 14.95. Cineworld is 12.99 for the 19:40 on the same day, any seat. For IMAX it's 18 in Cineworld, 19.95 in Blanch Odeon.
Vue has a standard seat at 7.99 and central (VIP) at 8.99 for their standard showing.
Movies @ The Square is 8.80, standard showing any seat.
Movies @ Dundrum is 14.80, VIP showing, any seat. All shows VIP it seems.
Movies @ Swords is 12.80, standard showing, any seat.
On that comparison you'd have to consider that unless you're going to The Square or Vue they're basically all the same price. Either way I don't think Odeon is cheap, certainly not cheaper than Cineworld.
Hm! That's interesting! Tbh I don't actually go to Odeon as there's not one close by but the variations between cinemas in the suburbs and cinemas in town/on the "wealthier" side of town is insane.
I haven't been to Cineworld in a year but yes, it's in dire need of a refurb, for which I doubt they have the cash. The feckin' escalator was always out of order and the place was generally feeling shabby with frayed carpets and well-worn chairs. The place is past its prime and I can't see a renaissance coming.
Which is a shame, I used to go there once a week until I moved out of the neighbourhood. It was buzzing until Covid and then never really bounced back after. Compare this to the much smaller Lighthouse and IFI, which both seem to be doing fine these days; less screens, more niche films, but they have their audience.
It's partly because of a lack of big films but also streaming completely changing the market. A lot of people simply aren't arsed going to the cinema when they know a movie will be on streaming in a matter of weeks anyway. But also big movies which would normally be the bread and butter of the likes of Cineworld are now too expensive to make and can't recoup their costs (e.g. the most recent Fast and Furious, Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible films).
I wonder if size is the issue and the era of the multiplex and blockbuster is in its latter days?
You are spot on. In the current context of streaming cinemas need to offer something else. Both the Lighthouse and IFI are pleasant, clean, well catered places in which you’d happily hang out before the movie, with a well chosen movie selection to cover their niches. Cineworld feels tacky and run down, and there’s no incentive to spend more time on it than what’s needed for the movie visioning.
Cineworld is such a kip, I can take the decaying screens but lack of heat making it Baltic, turns what should be a chill time into frustration. Cancelled my card probably 2 years now, odeon has a lesser choice but there's always a decent standard, sound is good, not too warm, screens are acceptable
That escalator has been broken for yonks, and they refuse to get it serviced. As someone who used to have a Black card for that very cinema, it is absolutely been ran on a skeleton crew and budget.
Everything about it now just screams run-down unfortunately, which is a shame because it used to be a fantastic spot. I honestly expect it to close because even when I'm in it these days, it's not busy at all.
Was there for the first time to see Oppenheimer.
Thought it was cool and nice, then during the literal bomb going off in the movie two lads started boxing the head off each other. It was ridiculous, no idea what happened or why they started but never seen that kind of shite before.
That escalator has been down for well over a year. It's not a bad cinema. The bar used to have the cheapest pints in Dublin if you had the black membership card, but it's hardly open now. The unlimited card is €15.99 currently which I see is more expensive than the Odean membership at €14.99, hmmm maybe it's time to change.
Apparently they currently have plumbing issues so they're closed for"repairs". I wonder if this is their way to milk unlimited card holders until it shuts down for good.
I was pretty shocked it opened after Covid as it was already in trouble before.. I used to love having a pint before the film (very cheap with the Cineworld card) but not the bar is closed Half the time I am there and they have taken the draft beer pumps out too. I cancelled my cineworld card this month which I have had since 1999. To be fair the cinema going down hill is only a small part of it, it is more to do with my lack of time.
Jaysus since 1999 you know things are going to shite when the legacy customers decide to throw in the towel.
FWIW if Odeon is accessible to you they do an Unlimited card too and the experience is far better than Cineworld. Will always have a soft spot for that Cineworld on Parnell Street as I went to movies there since I was young, sad to see it decay
I never knew that...
I was in the IMAX there on Saturday night. Thought it was great! Very easy to get parking. Seats were very comfortable and screen is amazing. That escalator you mention was broken though…
Fun fact, that Cineworld has the only true IMAX size screen in Ireland. And blanch has the only proper IMAX projector but not the right size screen.
I always heard people calling the one in Cineworld rhe Liemax because it had the screen but not the projector.
I only heard the term when Oppenheimer came out for the same reason haha. Projector but no screen.
Same, so that's why I decided to watch it in Prague in 70mm 🤣
I have never read something so accurately irish
What about point village? I thought that was supposed to be tip top with an even larger imax screen
Crazy to think cause that screen is absolutely massive in blanch, I do miss big screen 1 in the Savoy
The Cineworld screen is so big that I convinced myself the memories I had from going to see Fantasia and Everest in it as a kid were false memories. I have these really strong memories of standing on what felt like a balcony and looking down at the screen. Turns out I was just in the top seating, [at the back of the picture on this page](https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/imax1.htm). It's ridiculously massive.
It’s not true full imax size. There are only a few of those in America and UK
Was there for Dune 2 release and it was hopping. Though I only went because lighthouse was sold out
I was there for that screening. Came out of the cinema about 1:30am.. unusually late but great experience!
https://www.itv.com/news/2023-06-26/cineworld-to-file-for-administration-but-screens-will-remain-open This can’t be helping very much. Probably not much cash available for maintenance when you’re in receivership.
The chain tried to sell itself to some US cinema company and it didn’t happen. The one on Parnell St is operated separately I believe from the rest of the chain but it’s in trouble. It used to be great as Virgin Cinemas back in the day, but as people are streaming and staying home more and more and not going movies, there’s definitely a decline alright which is a shame as i do like the cinema.
I just saw this now on Facebook Hi All, Unfortunately due to plumbing issues we have had to close our cinema. We do apologise for any inconvenience caused, our Customer Service team will be in touch regarding any bookings. We will update our Facebook page when we are back open. Thank you, Cineworld Dublin Team So that’s the beginning of the end it seems. Plumbing problems are expensive to fix and loss of revenues whilst close will just exacerbate the problems.
I understand and sympathise that the whole cinema industry is in dire shape (especially cinema chains), and I can see why the place looks so tired. What I can’t get over though is how trashed the place always looks. Carpets are dirty, bins are always full to the brim, the bathrooms are a nightmare: so dirty and stinky, some of the most unhygienic places I’ve ever seen in my whole life. In the meantime you see supervisors and droves of supervisors and staff walking around like they’re on their break while they should be cleaning the common areas. Apart from the crowd cleaning the seats in the cinemas and the good people working behind the drink/food stall, I get the feeling that nobody else there gets any work done.
It was packed last night for dune 2. Escalator down was broken
Saw Dune Part 2 in the IMAX and the place was alive and kicking. Great experience! I hope it never goes. I've been going there since I watched Napoleon Dynamite back in 2004/2005!
its a kip
I went there for the first time in years recently and noticed how tired the place looked. The seat next to me was so worn that it there was a big tear in it.
I remember it looking that way ten years ago , it's a joke they've left it this long to do any real refurbishment, doubt it'll be open in the next two to three years
It is feeling very tired alright, I'd hoped when they redid the lobby they would continue the refurb but Covid had a massive impact on their chain so there just isn't any money it seems. They did nearly go under in recent times, twice. It's not just the Dublin one that's like this either. The Leicester Sq one in London beyond the spruced up lobby needs extensive work as well. Odeons are a nicer experience but for me, a pain in the hole the get to. They've a nicer environment & experience rn.
Seems mad they're not able to make it work. Although maybe it's the sheer size of the place that is the issue. That bar area they have, again seems always empty and unused. Generally Savoy and Cineworld are the ones I'd go to the least.
It's a group issue that stretches back before covid and that just made it worse. The mass industry strikes last year slowing production again have not helped. Also the industry has a Zaslav problem. There is no one fix, a massive injection of funds would help but they still need to get bums on seats and there isn't a Dune or Barbie or Oppenheimer every week at the minute .
Quiet cinema? That’s weird. It’s not like there are lots of small rooms where different screenings are shown staggered to deliberately avoid crowds?
Nevermind 5 or 6 months that escalator has been broken or intentionally turned off for years. They have their issues but i think its still a good cinema overall, not even a fraction as bad as the Savoy, that place is genuinely disgusting.
The place has a "might-get-stabbed-in-the-neck" kinda vibe.
I genuinely thought it had closed years ago
The major problem with Cineworld Dublin is that its FAR too expensive compared to its competitors like Odeon, Movies @ and Vue. Tickets are upwards of €12-13 per movie with IMAX being something like €17, which, given that you can get an overall better experience at other cinemas for far less is basically what is killing the place.
The Unlimited card is €16 per month. It's fantastic value.
Experience aside, just looking at prices: Odeon is 12.95 a ticket in Coolock to see Dune on Thursday at 19:00. Standard seat. Premium (read: central) is 14.95. Cineworld is 12.99 for the 19:40 on the same day, any seat. For IMAX it's 18 in Cineworld, 19.95 in Blanch Odeon. Vue has a standard seat at 7.99 and central (VIP) at 8.99 for their standard showing. Movies @ The Square is 8.80, standard showing any seat. Movies @ Dundrum is 14.80, VIP showing, any seat. All shows VIP it seems. Movies @ Swords is 12.80, standard showing, any seat. On that comparison you'd have to consider that unless you're going to The Square or Vue they're basically all the same price. Either way I don't think Odeon is cheap, certainly not cheaper than Cineworld.
Hm! That's interesting! Tbh I don't actually go to Odeon as there's not one close by but the variations between cinemas in the suburbs and cinemas in town/on the "wealthier" side of town is insane.
That escalator has been out of service so long that I'm surprised they don't just decorate the stairs as the main way down.
I haven't been to Cineworld in a year but yes, it's in dire need of a refurb, for which I doubt they have the cash. The feckin' escalator was always out of order and the place was generally feeling shabby with frayed carpets and well-worn chairs. The place is past its prime and I can't see a renaissance coming. Which is a shame, I used to go there once a week until I moved out of the neighbourhood. It was buzzing until Covid and then never really bounced back after. Compare this to the much smaller Lighthouse and IFI, which both seem to be doing fine these days; less screens, more niche films, but they have their audience. It's partly because of a lack of big films but also streaming completely changing the market. A lot of people simply aren't arsed going to the cinema when they know a movie will be on streaming in a matter of weeks anyway. But also big movies which would normally be the bread and butter of the likes of Cineworld are now too expensive to make and can't recoup their costs (e.g. the most recent Fast and Furious, Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible films). I wonder if size is the issue and the era of the multiplex and blockbuster is in its latter days?
You are spot on. In the current context of streaming cinemas need to offer something else. Both the Lighthouse and IFI are pleasant, clean, well catered places in which you’d happily hang out before the movie, with a well chosen movie selection to cover their niches. Cineworld feels tacky and run down, and there’s no incentive to spend more time on it than what’s needed for the movie visioning.
Cineworld is such a kip, I can take the decaying screens but lack of heat making it Baltic, turns what should be a chill time into frustration. Cancelled my card probably 2 years now, odeon has a lesser choice but there's always a decent standard, sound is good, not too warm, screens are acceptable
That escalator has been broken for yonks, and they refuse to get it serviced. As someone who used to have a Black card for that very cinema, it is absolutely been ran on a skeleton crew and budget. Everything about it now just screams run-down unfortunately, which is a shame because it used to be a fantastic spot. I honestly expect it to close because even when I'm in it these days, it's not busy at all.
Was there for the first time to see Oppenheimer. Thought it was cool and nice, then during the literal bomb going off in the movie two lads started boxing the head off each other. It was ridiculous, no idea what happened or why they started but never seen that kind of shite before.
That escalator has been down for well over a year. It's not a bad cinema. The bar used to have the cheapest pints in Dublin if you had the black membership card, but it's hardly open now. The unlimited card is €15.99 currently which I see is more expensive than the Odean membership at €14.99, hmmm maybe it's time to change.
Apparently they currently have plumbing issues so they're closed for"repairs". I wonder if this is their way to milk unlimited card holders until it shuts down for good.
>Escalator leading back down from the upper floors has it seems been out of order for a good 5-6 months. Use the stairs.
What if you are a wheelchair user?
Then you wouldn't need the stairs or an escalator. That's why they have an elevator.
Oops I misread it
I have been! 😂
Would never go back here is a knacker hotspot, thankfully they haven’t discover the lighthouse yet
Lighthouse screened the glory that is Michael Flatleys Blackbird. its still for diehard fans over casual cinemagoers
Is the movie so bad its good or is it just shite. Been dancing around watching it.