The Abbey Cinema, in the Guildhall, has the King’s Coronation on the large screen for anyone who books.
There will also be voting at the Guildhall tomorrow for town and district local councillors.
One issue on the eve of local elections is the future of the Abbey Cinema. There are emails between the Abbey Cinema and the Chair of the Town Council’s Community Committee, about the lease negotiations, which, if not completed by June, could see the cinema closing.
Both sides want the cinema to stay open but are waiting for the other to respond.
The Chair of the Town Council’s Community Committee said, ‘My understanding is that having agreed to the Heads of Terms informally, the Town Council has been waiting for the Abbey Cinema team to sign them.‘
The Cinema’s property consultant has replied, ‘The Heads of Terms are not agreed. On the 17th February 2023 I responded to the Council’s consultant to various points raised by the Town Council on the draft Heads of Terms. I have yet to receive a response to that email. ‘
P.S. ‘A Head of Terms’ refers to an agreement on the key issues of a negotiation.
Would be a huge loss for Abingdon if it closes. Love this cinema.
The Abbey cinema is on of the few entertainment assets left in the town, it would be a great shame if it was forced to close.
Please both parties but I suspect mainly the council, get your acts together and keep this great little cinema open.
Thank you backstreeter for bringing this to our attention. It is an asset for Abingdon to have a local cinema. It would be a shame to see it go.
I would be very sorry to see the Abbey cinema close. It is the main reason I come into Abingdon and it’s great to be able to enjoy a movie in comfort, with the added bonus of refreshments brought to one’s seat! Hopefully public support will enable it to continue.
Abingdon has lost, and almost lost a lot of things these past decades, it’s a miracle we still have an outdoor pool to be honest, so people definitely shouldn’t let the cinema go.
I know I’m getting older because I have nostalgia for the Old Gaol leisure centre and Morland’s Brewery, both long gone. I don’t think I miss the old Abingdon Regal cinema though, that was far too big and expensive to keep going I should think (I remember looking up and seeing paint peeling off the ceiling near the end, that intense dark red…)
The Abbey Cinema is probably about right for the town.
the best thing about all this is that, what with the elections today, and all present or aspiring councillors will be well aware of this most pressing of issues, no matter “who wins” we can be rest assured they’ll be booking in the necessary meeting to resolve the issue as “Job #1,day #1” and it will be all done and dusted by a week next Wednesday.
@Daniel – Ever considered a career as a standup comedian?
The abbey cinema is more than just a cinema! It gives support to other groups in the community, surely the council can sort this out and not allow more of our Abingdon community to be destroyed.
We are living amongst wonderful people why can’t our council see this and push to get this matter sorted out before it is too late.