Sweet success for Aberdeen cinemas with January visits TREBLING as fans flock to Wonka

Cineworld multiplexes at Union Square and Queens Links have been jam-packed thus far this month.

By Ben Hendry

January 12 2024, 4:00 pm

Aberdeen Cineworlds had a bumper first week of January. Image: Warner Brothers

Aberdeen’s struggling cinemas have bounced back with a massive increase in audience numbers at the start of the year.

The twin treats of the new Wonka picture, based on Roald Dahl’s famous chocolatier, and the hulking heroics of Aquaman have sent fans flocking to multiplexes.

Anyone who visited the Cineworld picturehouses at Union Square or Queens Links to keep the kids occupied at the start of January may have noticed they were busier than usual.

The Aberdeen city centre Cineworld was packed this January. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

And now bosses of the international chain, which was plunged into administration last summer amid audience struggles, have confirmed there was a major increase.

What did people flock to at Aberdeen cinemas in January?

A Cineworld spokeswoman said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many locals turning up to our Aberdeen Queens Links and Union Square cinemas over the New Year week, with admissions increasing by almost a third in comparison to last year.”

The spokeswoman put the boost down to families flocking to see Wonka and Aquaman.

However, movies like Anthony Hopkins drama One Life and comedy Next Goal Wins also played to packed auditoriums.

And Cineworld said the results “mirrored a nationwide trend” which saw January admissions increase year on year.

Aberdeen cinemas January boom comes at tough time for industry

It comes after we revealed that the Aberdeen venues have been experiencing mixed fortunes in recent years.

Union Square bucked a nationwide trend, with visitor numbers increasing at the city centre shopping mall.

The differing fortunes of the Aberdeen venues made headlines last year. Image: Clarke Cooper/DC Thomson

The Queens Links venue, which is surrounded by closed-down diners, had been losing customers.

Across the first two months of 2023, takings at the seaside Cineworld dropped by 16%.

This was, of course, before the Barbenheimer phenomenon packed out screening rooms across the UK over the summer.

And Taylor Swift’s concert film helped ensure figures in October were also up on 2022.

Barbie (Margot Robbie) looking out at Barbie Land — People dressed up in bright pink garb to take in the smash hit Barbie move this summer. Image: prshots and PA

Does Aberdeen cinemas January boost bode well for efforts to reopen independent venue?

Aberdeen film critic (and P&J columnist) Dallas King proudly told us that he went to see Barbie six times over the summer.

But Dallas, who is leading efforts to reopen Aberdeen’s mothballed Belmont Cinema, isn’t quite heralding the return of the glory days yet.

Jacob Campbell and Dallas King are working to bring the Belmont Cinema back to life. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

He explained: “I think the important thing at the start of this year was that there was a good mix of movies, rather than just one film bringing people in.

“And perhaps some of that boost was caused by Belmont members going elsewhere.

“But longer-term, cinemas will live or die on the quality of their programme.

“Barbenheimer brought a lot of people back, but that tailed off as there wasn’t anything with similar appeal to keep up the momentum – and audiences aren’t drawn to superhero blockbusters the way they once were.”