Shock as Roscommons Cinema closes its door

….but hopes high that it can re-open 

Uncertainty surrounds the future of County Roscommon’s only cinema, the Flix facility at Centrepoint Retail Park in Roscommon town which unexpectedly closed earlier this week after the company which runs the complex went into liquidation. 

  A meeting of management and the facility’s “devastated” staff was understood to be taking place on Wednesday evening, as the Roscommon People went to press. 

  The opening of the state-of-the-art cinema and leisure complex in December 2011 came after a long public campaign for the provision of such facilities in a county which, at the time,

…

….but hopes high that it can re-open 

Uncertainty surrounds the future of County Roscommon’s only cinema, the Flix facility at Centrepoint Retail Park in Roscommon town which unexpectedly closed earlier this week after the company which runs the complex went into liquidation. 

  A meeting of management and the facility’s “devastated” staff was understood to be taking place on Wednesday evening, as the Roscommon People went to press. 

  The opening of the state-of-the-art cinema and leisure complex in December 2011 came after a long public campaign for the provision of such facilities in a county which, at the time, was reputedly the only one in Ireland without a cinema. 

  The 5-screen cinema dramatically closed its doors earlier this week. Rumours began to circulate on Monday evening and people’s fears were subsequently realised when notices were placed at the entrance to the complex stating that the premises was closed “until further notice”. 

  It later emerged that ‘Flix Cinema and Leisure Ltd’ had gone into liquidation. 

Correspondence was issued by Flix Cinema and Leisure Ltd. to creditors informing them that the company has been put into liquidation “due to trading difficulties.” Seamus Keating of FPM Chartered Accountants in Dundalk will act as Liquidator of the company.  

  Staff who contacted the Roscommon People on Wednesday said they were “in the dark” and were “devastated” by the turn of events. However local auctioneer John Earley, who had negotiated the arrival of Flix to Roscommon, expressed confidence that the cinema will re-open within weeks. He expressed sympathy with the directors of Flix and paid tribute to them for bringing the cinema to Roscommon in the first place. 

  A staff spokesperson who spoke to the Roscommon People on Wednesday said that there are “25 or 30” staff at Flix (between full-time and part-time). 

  The staff member said that staff were “in the dark” and knew no more than the general public. 

  “All we know is that the cinema is closed until further notice……we do not know if we will be getting paid or what our current status is.” The staff member said that a meeting with management was expected to take place on Wednesday (yesterday) evening. 

  The multi-million euro state-of-the-art cinema and leisure complex was just over a year open, having opened in December of 2011. The magnificent facility comprises of five ultra modern cinemas, a leisure centre and bowling alley, coffee shop, party rooms and a new casino. 

  The opening of the cinema followed a long-running public campaign. County Roscommon had been the only county in Ireland without its own cinema and there had been an enthusiastic welcome for the project. 

  Attempts to contact the owners of the Flix Group on Wednesday proved unsuccessful.

Roscommon People
Issue dated: 11 January 2013