Cineworld suspends UK, US cinemas leaving 45,000 jobs hanging in the balance

The company said its decision affects 45,000 staff – leaving their future employment hanging in the balance.
Cineworld announced the news 24 hours after receiving a backlash from staff over media reports that renewed delays to key releases had forced the company into temporarily closing down screens.
Cineworld said on Sunday that no decision had been taken.
Its announcement to the City on Monday read: “Cineworld confirms that it will be temporarily suspending operations at all of its 536 Regal theatres in the US and its 127 Cineworld and Picturehouse theatres in the UK from Thursday 8 October 2020.
As major US markets, mainly New York, remained closed and without guidance on reopening timing, studios have been reluctant to release their pipeline of new films.
“In turn, without these new releases, Cineworld cannot provide customers in both the US and the UK – the company’s primary markets – with the breadth of strong commercial films necessary for them to consider coming back to theatres against the backdrop of COVID-19.”