Independent cinema in Berkhamsted overcoming covid challenges

Bigger cinema chains across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire may be closing venues tomorrow.

An independent cinema in Berkhamsted says although the current climate is difficult, they are not worried about staying open, this is despite big chains struggling.

Odeon are set to move some sites to Friday-Sunday opening only, while from tomorrow Cineworld will be closing all of its sites in the UK.

The Rex however, says independent cinema is still there for locals.

James Hannaway is the owner:

"It's a 1930's building that was built with one screen for roughly 1,100 people, capacity is now at 300. Coming back in August was fine and people are coming to see and and are very glad we are open.

"We know what is going on around us and we are just hoping for the best. We will just have to see how things go and watch carefully. But we don't want to be scared of panicked by it and we will just keep inviting audiences the way we have from the beginning."

This week it was announced that Warner Bros would be delaying the release of the new Bond movie No Time To Die until 2021. It was due to come out this November, after being postponed earlier in the year.

This has meant other big budget movies like The Batman has had its release dates pushed back so it doesn't clash.

With a lack of new release's cinemas have been struggling to bring people in. however James says their catalogue doesn't depend on this:

"We will pick up new releases later on, about 5-7 weeks. We manage because we delay those big releases and then we show films from all over the world and classics.

"Our programme is of new smaller releases alongside our mainstay of the classics is what brings people in.

"As long as they don't dry up, as long as these movies are being made for the big screen and they're available for us then we will carry on. For the foreseeable future it looks like that is going to be fairly safe."

• the rex
• cinema