Cineworld/UGC

BlitzKrieg

Its such a little thing but its been bugging me for ages.

Who bought who?


UGC when it was first built here in Dublin was Virgin Cinema, when it was bought out a few things were kept but UGC brought alot of its own promotions to the cinema, thos being the unlimited card, a wider range of films and the whole *star* recommand thing. They also threw away that which didnt work (the shop that was in the old virgin cinema.)


Jump forward to about 2 years ago, UGC is changed to Cineworld, apart from the name I've seen no changes to the cinema in dublin.

I spend the last 3 years in Cambridge, there's a Cineworld there, before UGC changed to Cineworld, this cinema was a real mixed bag. The seats were real comfy, but the cinema's style and presentation left alot to be desired for (Its no smoking advert made the old savoy one a work of art.) it had nothing like the unlimited card, and it catered primarily to mainstream.

I didnt go to it much in my first year. When UGC became Cineworld, the one in cambridge changed aswell, all of UGC's policies appeared in the Cineworld there and the cinema became the best place to see a film in cambridge. This also included new no smoking adverts etc which were alot closer to the original UGC ones then the cineworld predessor


So who actually owns the brand? Is it the UGC company with a more approachable name? Or is it Cineworld promoting better practices?

Or is it some horrible hybrid cinema eating monster?


Its such a tiny matter but it itches at me when I go see a film there.

User45701

as far as i know cineworld bought over UGC cinimas but kept everything was was ugc inc the webpage www.ugc.ie

Spiderman90

I remember there was used to be Virgin Cinemas at Parnell Street. It was opened in 1995 and there was the only Virgin Cinemas in Ireland.

In 1999, the major British company, Virgin Group sold Virgin Cinemas to French cinema chain, UGC and all Virgin Cinemas rebranded as UGC in the UK and Virgin Cinemas Dublin was renamed UGC Cinemas Dublin in 1999.

And again in 2005, the UGC Cinemas in the UK and Ireland were rebranded as Cineworld when the UGC's UK and Ireland's operations were taken over by Cineworld in 2004. UGC Dublin was renamed Cineworld Dublin.

Unfortunately, I have never went to the Virgin Cinemas before they closed and it has been turned into a corridor when the UGC (now Cineworld) got its new entrance. I wish I went there before when I was younger.

Anyway, my sister thinks the Virgin Cinemas is crap.

Virgin Cinemas is now defunct.

Birneybau

Wow, almost 10 year old Zombie thread. Must be a record.