Monopoly game hits wood green
miss wood green | 15.09.2007 12:52 | Culture | London
There are currently two cinemas in Wood Green, the Cineworld in the shopping centre and the Showcase on the street near to it - the nearest otherwise is in Muswell Hill.
Over the past year, Cineworld has been negotiating to buy the Showcase cinema, and merge the two operations.
This would give Cineworld a monopoly in the area:
- removing competition between the two cinemas, allowing Cineworld to raise the other, cheaper cinema's ticket prices to match its own
- reducing consumer choice
- probably violating the UK anti monopoly regulations.
The deal is going through as we speak. There has been no consultation between either cinema operator and the community or the local authority - and this deal has been kept top secret.
This kind of sneaky takeover is spreading from the coffee shop/fast food industry to cinemas and venue operators.
Do you live in the area or do you know someone who does? We need local residents to start asking questions, speaking to the press and to the authorities - can you help?
Over the past year, Cineworld has been negotiating to buy the Showcase cinema, and merge the two operations.
This would give Cineworld a monopoly in the area:
- removing competition between the two cinemas, allowing Cineworld to raise the other, cheaper cinema's ticket prices to match its own
- reducing consumer choice
- probably violating the UK anti monopoly regulations.
The deal is going through as we speak. There has been no consultation between either cinema operator and the community or the local authority - and this deal has been kept top secret.
This kind of sneaky takeover is spreading from the coffee shop/fast food industry to cinemas and venue operators.
Do you live in the area or do you know someone who does? We need local residents to start asking questions, speaking to the press and to the authorities - can you help?
miss wood green
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