Empire Cinema's Clydebank venue rescued from administration after multi-million pound takeover

A cinema in Clydebank that previously plunged into administration has been saved by a major chain as part of a £22m takeover.

The Empire cinema will remain open after it was confirmed the company’s location has been taken over by Omniplex Cinema Group.

The venue, one of the only in Scotland to serve hot butter with its salted popcorn, will remain open following its fall into administration in July – and will even undergo a renovation.

Following Empire’s collapse, six cinemas across England were closed by administrators, with 150 jobs lost.

However, Clydebank, alongside Birmingham, Ipswich and High Wycombe, were kept open and will now be rebranded as Omniplex with the new sites opening up this week.

The cinema company says the move is part of its plan to expand across Great Britain and more sites are expected to be announced in 2024 as part of a £22.5m investment.

Paul John Anderson, director of the Omniplex Cinema Group said: “We are thrilled to bring Omniplex Cinemas to Great Britain.

“Our disciplined approach to investing in our businesses and unwavering drive to operate high-quality cinema locations have proved successful over the years on the island of Ireland and has given us the confidence to venture into new territories.

“This expansion is a testament to our commitment to innovation, quality, and delivering unforgettable moments for our customers.”