Top rated surrey cinema people had 'no idea' existed set to close

This could be Surrey's best or worst kept secret, depending on how you look at it. Two luxury cinemas tucked away in the "Disneyland" of a film studios with top ratings are

set to close in a matter of weeks, leaving customers scratching their heads. Despite being praised by customers, and obtaining glowing reviews on Google with high ratings, many have

criticised the studios for not marketing the cinemas well enough. Many felt if they had known about the cinema before, they would have made good use of it. Praised for having comfy chairs,

free parking and a refreshments area selling wine, bottled beers, soft drinks, crisps and chocolates, the cinemas at Shepperton and Pinewood Studios both have a rating of between 4.7 and

five stars on Google. One customer said: "Great cinema, very spacious and comfortable, even has sofas available. More expensive than most cinemas but worth it for the comfort,"

which sums up the mood of the venue. After announcing the impending closure, there was an outcry of disappointment from those living nearby. However, surprisingly, most people did not even

know the cinemas existed, despite residing right around the corner. Taking to Facebook, Pinewood Cinema at Shepperton Studios posted: "It is with regret that our weekend cinema service

will sadly come to a close at the end of February due to sustained low audience numbers rendering it no longer viable. The cinema service, hosted at weekends, will have final screenings on

Sunday 23 February 2025." Customers rushed to the comment section to express their confusion. One wrote: "I had no idea there was a cinema...I've lived in the area for over 15

years.. Your marketing department has missed something not to advertise this more widely... sad to hear it's now closing." Another chimed in: "It was absolutely great while

it lasted. Fabulous sound quality. Sorry to read this." Many have called for bosses to rethink the decision to shut the cinemas, saying: "I never even knew there was a weekend

cinema service there. Reading around this, I think a lot of people didn’t know. "Maybe rethink if you can publicise that you do this. Also maybe show some Pinewood specific movies as

well. Niche interest, eg Bond for example, would probably do well." Cllr Harri Boparai, Lib Dem councillor for Spelthorne Borough Council, felt the community had been let down by the

studios. He was disappointed by the upcoming closure and feels that it could have made a real positive impact on people's lives. He told SurreyLive: "I'd say about 95% of

people had never heard of it, and we do want big employers here but they need to give back. When I visited Shepperton Studios two years ago, it reminded me of somewhere magical like visiting

Disneyland, or something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. "When I saw it being closed down it felt like a punch in the gut, the film industry has got this cinema and it could

be a place to make people feel good, but it feels like they wanted it to fail. A lot of families are hand to mouth, it would be really nice if they had done something. If they were in

financial dire straits I would understand it." In response to the pleas of customers, a spokesperson from Pinewood Studios told SurreyLive that despite calls for the decision to be

reconsidered, the cinemas will still go ahead with the closure. The last day of operation will be on Sunday, February 23, but customers can come for irregular, one-off screenings. The

statement reads: "Sadly, the weekend cinemas at Shepperton and Pinewood will come to a close at the end of February due to sustained low audience numbers rendering it no longer viable.

The cinema service, hosted at weekends, will have final screenings on Sunday 23 February 2025. "There were weekly newsletters regarding the cinemas at Shepperton and Pinewood that were

sent to over 6,000 recipients as well as regular advertising in Village Matters, boosted posts on the dedicated Facebook pages for each site and there is a permanent ad for the cinema at

Shepperton Station. "Going forward, both venues will continue to provide occasional, more targeted cinema screenings for the community, as well as charity screenings and events. These

events are typically better attended and resonate well with their audiences."