Stafford Cinema - ups & downs.

Tumble weed

Well-Known Forumite
I wonder if they've just been given access to Curzons old site with some relevant pages edited.
No, that one still exists saying it’s goodbye. Tbh they should have chosen a new name as its all very confusing on the web right now with three cinemas all still using the Stafford cinema name. As in the old one, the new one, and the old new one.

Www.thestaffordcinema.com
 

Tumble weed

Well-Known Forumite
Tbh, I think the front looked better like this.

This also highlights that a mixed use could also work, say have two cinemas screening films and the third used as a live music or something else area.
 

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Wormella

Well-Known Forumite
Tbh, I think the front looked better like this.

This also highlights that a mixed use could also work, say have two cinemas screening films and the third used as a live music or something else area.

Oh, I'd love to have seen Working Girl in the cinema, I love that film...
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
Yeah, the domain seems to be managed by Savoy Systems , on 28th March 2018, so it's pretty much a drag and drop in system from another cinema's screenings assumedly, given that AJH Cinema Ltd itself only became incorporated on the 9th March.

The fact I can proceed to the payment page without it been flagged as not existing is either pretty sloppy or pretty dodgy, unsure as to which :P

Added to that, that the only blog post on it is about the cinema closing .... I'm leaning towards dodgy site.

As of Sunday it would not accept payment ( for me anyway). Got error messages when trying to process the payment.
 

Mr Banks

Newbie
Yeah, the domain seems to be managed by Savoy Systems , on 28th March 2018, so it's pretty much a drag and drop in system from another cinema's screenings assumedly, given that AJH Cinema Ltd itself only became incorporated on the 9th March.

The fact I can proceed to the payment page without it been flagged as not existing is either pretty sloppy or pretty dodgy, unsure as to which :P

Added to that, that the only blog post on it is about the cinema closing .... I'm leaning towards dodgy site.

Done a bit of digging and it appears that the website staffordcinema.co.uk was registered on 28 March 2018 by Savoy Systems Ltd , 25 Broad Street, Nottingham, NTT, NG1 3AP, United Kingdom

if you do a search on that business address, it in turn appears to be the old home of SCREEN 22, which was once the "world’s smallest cinema", Nottingham’s Screen 22 has been (since December 2017) turned into the home of cinema ticketing software company https://savoysystems.co.uk/ who now also hire out the tiny 22-seat cinema with state-of-the-art sound, Active 3D and ability to show films in letterbox format.

SAVOY appear to be a legit company who manage the ticketing systems (called OSCAR) for a load of reputable independent cinemas and arts centres across the UK

(story here https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/business/worlds-smallest-cinema-nottingham-taken-943407)

What I don't understand is how the rumoured new cinema owners Oswestry based AJH CINEMA LTD (which is new company set up in march 2018) fit into this story - although they may just have commissioned SAVOY to set this up for them, run the box office and website, etc
 

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Mr Banks

Newbie
I hope it is a success and it keeps the building open and employs some people

BUT

Does anyone else find it not too promising that the recruitment posters are scrawled onto A4 pieces of paper and look more of a scam trier poster than those for an up and coming new business?

Who doesn't have access to a computer and printer now a days.

I see what you're saying. but it could be a small company - or someones dream - to give it a go, and try and get a disused building operating again. And it may be in doing so, they don't want to (or can't) invest too much money into it yet, in case it doesn't work. Or they just don't have the kind of money to produce glossy recruitment printed signs done, and want to sink all the money they do have in just getting the building open.

Also I guess there is so much to do to get the actual place open and running, they are running around like headless chickens just to try and get it operational, before the big budget Odeon opens later this summer. so they may be prioritising on getting the place open.

Wishing them all the best with it, and hope it works out.
 

Mr Banks

Newbie
No, that's this one:

"The market town has a specialist cinema, Kinoculture, in Arthur Street but not a venue able to show new releases." - but that looks cool

Looks like AJH is a new venture starting up - converting a church in Oswestry and refurbishing ours - Depending on how much money they have to spend you could make something very cool offering something very different from the forthcoming Odeon

Kinoculture is an arts cinema in Oswestry, but is not the same one being opened by AJH Cinema. Kinoculture is in Arthur Street, and the one AJH Cinemas is opening is an old church and carpet shop - The Citadel, in King Street (pics attached below of the two separate cinema buidlings )

AJH Cinema is basically a new company being set up by Anthony Harris, the son of Trevor Harris, who ran Oswestry's Regal Cinema for decades So the people behind this have a family tradition of running cinemas. At the one they are setting up in Oswestry they are also having a small stage for live performances.

I hope they manage to pull this off in Stafford

Read more at https://www.shropshirestar.com/news.../go-ahead-for-new-cinema/#pOf01M0WqbC2L3fI.99

OSWESTRY-CINEMAS.jpg
 

Frontal

Well-Known Forumite
Saw they had the painters and decorators in the other day, so looks like movement is happening still.
 

Tumble weed

Well-Known Forumite
They're tidied up the front at least, replaced the broken boarding, painted it, and removed the old cinemas sign which was there from the Apollo days, so they're working round the clock till late at night.
 

Frontal

Well-Known Forumite
Yeah, but the owner also said it'd be open a couple of months ago :P

Good news if it opens again, but I'm still in 'won't hold my breath' territory.

Really though, it needs to open a good time before the Odeon if it want's to build up cinema goers.
 

Jonah

Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
Reopening so you can sit in discomfort whilst you watch the film...
 
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