No Cinema for Jetland - Limerick Post

gaf1983

John O'Shaughnessy, writing on the front cover fo this week's Limerick Post, reports that the City Council have blocked moves by a Limerick-born businessman, who runs two successful cinemas in Cork, to put in an 11 screen cinema in the empty units at the Jetland Retail Park.

The cinema would have created 35 jobs. More importantly, I think, it would be a valuable amenity within walking distance of a huge population on the Northside of the city.

The attitude of the council officials baffles me. The reason they are opposing it is because a cinema there does not form part of their "Master Plan" for the city.

What rigid, stubborn people we have serving us in City Hall. It is impossible to plan every development in advance, and when somebody makes a business proposal that doesn't fall 100% within the city council's plans yet nevertheless will serve the community at large, I think some sort of leeway should be given. While I appreciate that the aim of the so-called Master Plan is to concentrate developments in the city centre - I see the need for a thriving city centre as much as the next man - this time I think the council have got it wrong.

While planning is important, planners can't get everything right nor can they look into the future. That is why in cases like this I think they should hand over the reins to the cinema developer, who obviously sees a potential market for one this side of town and is willing to take a risk.

Blazer

They're a right bunch of gimps in Limerick City on the council.
Not to mention Tom Mackey (Lim City manager) who cost us over €50 million due to the crap with Uniform Contruction on clancy strand.
Nothing they do surprises me anymore. We'd be better off with Dustin on the council than them.

Ardscoil Ris

Ah Bollocks! I was looking forward not travelling all the way across town to see a film that lasts less time then the time it took to get there.

1huge1

Thats a shame alright, maybe their going forward with their intention to have a cinema in the city centre and think another one would just be one too much...

Itsdacraic

1huge1 wrote: »

Thats a shame alright, maybe there going forward with their intention to have a cinema in the city centre and think another one would just be one too much...

Nope. That crowd that were rumoured to be developing the cinema in bedford row have said they have no intention of putting one there.

BeanieBaby

They say they are concentrating on the city centre....thats the city centre that you can't actually get into because they've dug up so many streets etc.

We have a huge population on the North side of the city and yet you have to drive into Co. Limerick to get a cinema....

Bloody Banana republic (can I say bloody?)

oh well

the council fought so long and hard to get Caherdavin into the city area, you'd think they would support something to improve the area without cost to themselves.

Aidric

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Nope. That crowd that were rumoured to be developing the cinema in bedford row have said they have no intention of putting one there.

Really? I haven't heard that. Where did you read this?

BeanieBaby

oh well wrote: »

the council fought so long and hard to get Caherdavin into the city area, you'd think they would support something to improve the area without cost to themselves.

When you juxtapose this with the reticence to allow development at the Tesco Coonagh development, you just wonder has the Northside of town, once more reverted to the planning abyss we endured prior to the redevelopment of Jetland and Lidl.

Itsdacraic

Aidric wrote: »

Really? I haven't heard that. Where did you read this?

Can't remember. It was in one of the local papers before christmas.

talkingclock

Would another cinema be lucrative at all? There's the one in Dooradoyle and the one in Castletroy. Then there is one in Ennis afaik. How many screens alltogether?

The last time I've been inside a cinema has been somewhen back in 2003. So I don't know what the situation is regarding business for those cinemas. Are they running profitably?

Not that I would be bothered with another cinema or not...

1huge1

talkingclock wrote: »

Would another cinema be lucrative at all? There's the one in Dooradoyle and the one in Castletroy. Then there is one in Ennis afaik. How many screens alltogether?

The last time I've been inside a cinema has been somewhen back in 2003. So I don't know what the situation is regarding business for those cinemas. Are they running profitably?

Not that I would be bothered with another cinema or not...

Ireland has the highest cinema attendance in Europe, I think its irrelevant how many screens there is in the cinemas in dorradoyle and castletroy in terms of people from the northside because they still have to get to the other side of the city. And as for Ennis well it would be a strange day when a Limerick city person has to go to ennis to go to the cinema.

Compare the amount of cinemas in Limerick city to Cork city. I feel a cinema for the northside is definitely justified.

BeanieBaby

My teens go to the cinema quite regularly. Would probably go more regularly if there was a cinema on this side of town.

I would also consider having birthday parties at the cinema if we had one here.

Its an absolute curse to have to drive across the city. If you're lucky you can get one parent to deliver and another to collect, or the older teen will get a bus.

But if you have to collect and deliver, its often easier just to hang around the Crescent rather than driving back and forth for the sake of 20 minutes at home or whatever.

Would there be any point in saying something to the local elected reps? I know Wee Willie Winkie (O'Dea) had some impact on M&S being turned down in Dooradoyle.

Limerick Dude

Its an absolute joke that they are rejecting this. Think of the jobs it would create and those units in the retail park are never going to be filled !

IF they had a cinema lined up for the city centre then maybe this would be justified but as far as i know they dont.

Absolute Joke.

BeanieBaby

I agree about it being an absolute joke.

At a time when we are trying to create jobs and reduce carbon emissions, a cinema at this side of town would do both.

And in terms of environmental impact, there is already sufficient parking and roads to sustain this development. Furthermore, the businesses in the area would also benefit from the influx of people to the cinema.

The individual behind the enterprise also appears to have a good strong background.

Grrrr.

gaf1983

talkingclock wrote: »

Would another cinema be lucrative at all? There's the one in Dooradoyle and the one in Castletroy. Then there is one in Ennis afaik.

Well the businessman in question thinks it would be lucrative, that's all that's relevant here. If it's a successful cinema, that's all well and good, if it's a failure, fair enough, I think the least the Council could do would be let it go ahead because we won't know if it would be lucrative otherwise.

talkingclock wrote: »

How many screens alltogether?

Eleven Screens.

talkingclock

gaf1983 wrote: »

Well the businessman in question thinks it would be lucrative, that's all that's relevant here.

I see your point but I'm sure those who planned and built the Parkway ruin and the Coonagh thought the same...

BTW: what about the OPERA? Nothing more then a big poster so far...

RINO87

slightly off topic, but why the hell don't they re-open the theatre royal, or anthenaeum, whatever its called, both as a venue and a cinema to screen independant releases, its such a shame to see the place rotting, it had a pretty good run in the 90's and looks like a savage spot, i'd love to go to gigs in there.

1huge1

RINO87 wrote: »

slightly off topic, but why the hell don't they re-open the theatre royal, or anthenaeum, whatever its called, both as a venue and a cinema to screen independant releases, its such a shame to see the place rotting, it had a pretty good run in the 90's and looks like a savage spot, i'd love to go to gigs in there.

Is that the savoy that was on bedford row (I think)

BeanieBaby

1huge1 wrote: »

Is that the savoy that was on bedford row (I think)

The Theatre Royal/Athenaeum are/were on Cecil Street.

The Central Cinema was in Bedford Row, where A-wear used to be. (Opposite where the shoe shops are now)

krudler

talkingclock wrote: »

Would another cinema be lucrative at all? There's the one in Dooradoyle and the one in Castletroy. Then there is one in Ennis afaik. How many screens alltogether?

The last time I've been inside a cinema has been somewhen back in 2003. So I don't know what the situation is regarding business for those cinemas. Are they running profitably?

Not that I would be bothered with another cinema or not...

you're joking right? cinema attendence is massive in this country, a 3rd cinema would be a great thing to have that side of town but oh no cant have that, lets have another empty retail park instead, thats what limerick just doesnt have enough of these days

Itsdacraic

Maybe a stupid question but how do cinemas pay for the films they screen? Do they pay a lump sum to buy the film or do they have to pay everytime they show the film?

bluemachaveli

AFAIK they pay a lump sum up front. I remember the Omniplex a few years ago not showing Bad Boys 2 for ages cos the distributer wanted too much and they wouldn't pay up.

I got this info from a friend working there at the time, so don't take it as a 100%, i could be way out

Itsdacraic

bluemachavel wrote: »

AFAIK they pay a lump sum up front. I remember the Omniplex a few years ago not showing Bad Boys 2 for ages cos the distributer wanted too much and they wouldn't pay up.

I got this info from a friend working there at the time, so don't take it as a 100%, i could be way out

Ya but if that was the case then say the phrase "It took 20m at the box office" wouldn't mean anything cause the film company got the money regardless of how many punters came to see the film.

krudler

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Ya but if that was the case then say the phrase "It took 20m at the box office" wouldn't mean anything cause the film company got the money regardless of how many punters came to see the film.

They pay for the print and then a percentage of the takings go back to the distributor, the tickets are what the cinema chains make the least on so thats why the food is so expensive

Raiser

Someone should re-open a Ballroom at the Jetland and dig up some of the Stars from the "Showband Era" - It would be like old time Irish rock n' roll meets Bodyworlds.