Navan Cinema

Access

The cinema in Navan needs a decent update, but seems to be holding back on doing anything as it waits to see if the other new cinema out at the homebase retail park gets the go ahead from it appeal and starts building.

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2011/12/02/4007982-new-navan-cinema-project-given-green-light/

It got the green light but seems to have been stopped by objection from the shopping centre. (correct me if i am wrong)

I have no connection to either side... just a cinema goer who wants a cinema to go to that is modern and up to date. Therefore, i have been going to the new cinema over in ashbourne for the past couple of years... and so have a few other parents and couples i know here.

What slowly drove me mad about the navan cinema that is currently there is a good few things...

The ticket prices went a bit mad there for a while (but have come back down since in fairness).

A while back, on a few Saturday kids morning showings, i saw staff bringing black bags of popcorn out of a backroom and emptying them into the popcorn makers for serving to the kids. (im presuming popcorn from the previous night that was not sold and to be honest one bite of the same confirmed! )

Another was a film i went to with my other half a while back - people actually saw boom mics and set piece backs and crew in the film... people laughed it off - but after a while it got unwatchable and a few people went to complain to the lady manager (especially at the end of the film) who just stated it was an unfinished edit the studio sent them by mistake and there was nothing she could do.

My son went with a few friends and their mom to see Captain America a while back and when i picked them up they said people got up to complain that the sound system was "hissing" and had interference that caused quiet scenes in the film not to be heard by the audience. One father in there seemed to have lost it with staff after paying big money to bring his four kids.

A few other things have cropped up too in other films i and others i know have gone to see there, - Mainly others as i wont pay money to go in there anymore, my son normally comes home after seeing a film with his mates and normally gives out about the broken seats or the sound in the film.
It just points to a cinema that is holding off on updating or doing anything to better itself until they know their fate with this impending new cinema coming to Navan.

Does anyone else go to the other cinemas around instead of going to the Navan one for similar reasons?

Vego

I stopped going to navan cinema after the last two films I watched there were either out of focus for the first 20 mins or during watchmen the film kept on breaking turning a long film in to a mega long film with not even a sorry from the cinema ....its now either ashbourne or the king of all cinemas blanchardstown

chewed

I only went there once and there was an awful smell in the cinema! I never went back.

bladespin

Last time we went the air con was off, it was roasting, and got that smell too, been going to Ashbourne since it opened, doubt I'd go back to Navan now.

Rafa1977

Only went there once and never again. Worst cinema in the world. The que to buy tickets complete joke and the smell in there is unreal, am convinced there a few dead bodies buried in there. :mad:

kc66

Stopped going myself. Last few times have gone to Ashbourne or Blanchardstown. Anyone know what is holding up the new cinema? Last year they were talking about possibly having it open for Summer 2012. No sign of work to start.

Sgt Pepper 64

Only good enough for kids movies.

Reminds me of what cinema used to be like in the 70's, even down to the same stale popcorn

iDave

Last film i saw there was Borat and they projected the subtitles beneath the screen

sofireland

I haven't been in that cinema in donkeys now at this stage. It was terrible then, so i can imagine how bad it is now.

I agree with a poster above probably only suitable for kids movies, its not worth the money when you have Blanch up the road and Ashbourne.

Access

Nice to see im not the only one ranting so!

I think it seems to be a catch 22 situation... the site for the new cinema is the first site in the retail park (homebase) that is boarded up as you drive in. the shopping centre seem to be against the new cinema opening as it will take a lot of business away from the town centre out to there.

And the owners of the present cinema dont seem to want to invest another penny in their premises until they know the outcome of the appeal.

So until a new shiny cinema arrives, i will be taking my business to blanch or ashbourne.

Vego

Access wrote: »

Nice to see im not the only one ranting so!

I think it seems to be a catch 22 situation... the site for the new cinema is the first site in the retail park (homebase) that is boarded up as you drive in. the shopping centre seem to be against the new cinema opening as it will take a lot of business away from the town centre out to there.

And the owners of the present cinema dont seem to want to invest another penny in their premises until they know the outcome of the appeal.

So until a new shiny cinema arrives, i will be taking my business to blanch or ashbourne.

But the owners of the shopping center own that retail park

snowgal

I know it wouldnt be the same as cinema, up to date films etc but Solstice Arts Cenrte have cinema club and show 4-5 films a season, better than cinema in navan!

Vego

After a bit of research it looks like most of the shopping center is in nama

donmaga1

iDave wrote: »

Last film i saw there was Borat and they projected the subtitles beneath the screen

The last film I saw there was borat also.

I do to Dublin. The main reason is everything is in focus and the staff sre not rude.

That_Guy

Have been there once at the start of the year with my cousin's. Seems to be all over the shop. Queues forming all over the place for tickets, found the seats very uncomfortable and the picture quality wasn't particularly great either.

Certainly didn't leave a lasting impression... well, a good one anyway.

Red Star Bellend

A shame to see Navan cinema turn out this way. It has turned into a right kip in recent years. I wouldn't be an avid cinema go-er but the last two times I have went were in Ashbourne and Blanch.

Penn

A terrible cinema. Firstly it's barely open. It opens in the afternoon, then closes, then opens again around 8. Most of the seating in the screens are sloped rather than stepped which means if a tall person is in front of you, you're f*cked. Last straw for me was when I went to see Scott Pilgrim when it was out. Was meant to start at 8:15. By 8:25 nothing had come up so I went to see what the story was. One of the guys there said he'd check. Few minutes later a pile of people came into our screen. Apparently they'd mixed the reels up and were showing Scott Pilgrim in another screen, the one we were in was meant to be for Grown-Ups.

So we switched screens, and missed the first 10 minutes of the film. Afterwards, I asked if we could get free tickets or anything for another showing of it seeing as how the fault was on their end. Was flatly told no. Not even "Sorry, we can't do that" or "I'll have to check with management but I don't think we're able to do that. We apologise though". Just "No."

Will I ever go back to that cinema?

"No."

Access

Just spotted this on the MC website...

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2012/11/28/4013508-shock-as-navan-cinema-projects-shot-down/

The shock refusal of planning permission for two separate cinema projects for Navan is robbing the town of millions of euro in investment and hundreds of jobs, it has been claimed.

An Bord Pleanala's decision on Monday to refuse the two planning applications for two new state-of-the-art multiplexes has been described as an "economic mugging" of the town by Cllr Shane Cassells, who said it was "a stunning anti-jobs decision".

An application by Flix Cinema and Leisure Ltd to develop a 10-screen cinema building with 1,918 seats, café and seating area at the Navan Retail Park on the Athboy Road, was refused by the planning appeals board on Monday.

Also refused was an application by Tymonview Ltd to construct a nine-screen cinema complex at the junction of the Navan Inner Relief Road and Ratholdren Road in Navan, which would also include a café, VIP meeting room, kids' party area and computer entertainment area.

Darren Corcoran of Flix Cinema and Leisure Ltd said they were absolutely shocked by the decision which, he pointed out, had the support of Meath County Council, the local community and the majority of businesses.

He said they had other options and they would be reviewing the decision at a board meeting later this week to decide whether to submit a new application for Navan.

However, Eamonn Duignan of Lexeme Ltd, one of these who objected to the Flix proposal, said he couldn't understand the reaction to the refusal, as the project was in breach of the county development plan.

So... thats me still going to Ashbourne or Blanch for movies!

Didnt know about the one up near Ratholdren road! - that would have been mad.

bladespin

The county development plan seems to want to kill any chance of employment in Meath altogether and force people to commute on the likes of the M3 etc. Who came up with this plan? Can it not be adapted to the current situation?

PauloMN

I was very surprised reading about the planning refusals, and agree with the tone of the MC article in that this is very bad news for Navan and Meath in terms of lost revenue.

Living in Trim, I don't bother going to the cinema in Navan anymore for all the reasons mentioned by the other posters (poor facilities, not very clean, needs upgrading, ripped seats etc.). We now always go to either Blanch or Liffey Valley, and any other money we might spend before/after the cinema on food or anything else now also is spent in those shopping centres.

It's a shame, but these kind of ridiculous decisions will have a much wider impact in the likes of Navan than just the cinema revenues. Navan is a big town that deserves a proper, modern cinema, and the decisions to refuse planning just leaves a whole pile of business going elsewhere.

Trim is the same with the seemingly endless problems allowing a proper, decent size supermarket in our town. Sometimes the decision making in this little country of ours completely baffles me.

cggreene

especially with the new moterway

Lucy and Harry

I am sick they did not build a new cinema in Navan. The old one is a dump with no 3d.People have to travel to Blanch just to see a movie.Last time I was there kids were running from one movie to the next and running around.A dump..People should stop going to the one up the town till they clean it up or we get a new one with a plex beside it.The population of Navan has gone up since all the dubs came down so we could have 2.Drogheda is building another one why cant we.

And a KFC so I do not need to travel to get some finger licking goodness.

bladespin

Try Ashbourne, easier than Blanch and much better.

washiskin

bladespin wrote: »

Try Ashbourne, easier than Blanch and much better.

100% agree, Bladespin. The staff in Ashbourne are always pleasent to deal with and the Cinemas are always spotless. Got some vouchers there as gifts for people for Christmas and for every 30e spent I got a free pass to a screening of my choice.
I used to go to Navan all the time but the owners have let it go to the dogs something shocking.

Sgt Pepper 64

bladespin wrote: »

Try Ashbourne, easier than Blanch and much better.

A lot more expensive though, especially for popcorn etc - real rip off

but they do have good kids club deals, currently just 1 euro until 6th Jan

bladespin

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

A lot more expensive though, especially for popcorn etc - real rip off

but they do have good kids club deals, currently just 1 euro until 6th Jan

TBH I didn't find their popcorn etc anymore expensive, that said I wouldn't buy that stuff in any cinema, better (and more fun) sneaking your own in

Rafa1977

bladespin wrote: »

Try Ashbourne, easier than Blanch and much better.

Have never been to Ashbourne one, how is it better?

bladespin

Rafa1977 wrote: »

Have never been to Ashbourne one, how is it better?

Loads of space, rarely have to queue, no rips on chairs, no sticky floor :mad: etc. etc. the list is long.

Rafa1977

bladespin wrote: »

Loads of space, rarely have to queue, no rips on chairs, no sticky floor :mad: etc. etc. the list is long.

Sounds more like the one in Blanch.

Access

The ashbourne cinema has less skangers than the blanch one. Bammm!

bladespin

Rafa1977 wrote: »

Sounds more like the one in Blanch.

Which, the Navan one? They're fairly similar but Blanch has a lot more to offer, Ashbourne is newer and a good bit better that either IMO.

im invisible

where would be the best cinema screen in the meath area (sharpest picture)?
i dont go regularly, but some places it looks like a bad quality VHS that im watching,
or does it just depend on the actual film itself?

been to the 3D in navan, i reckon its just a gimmick, grand for still frames/ slow moving scenes, but dosnt handle action very well

chrysagon

seems its all go for the new cinema..long overdue

chewed

Very disappointing to read that the proposed Cinema in Navan Retail Park has been refused again!

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2014/11/13/4033842-cinema-plans-shot-down-by-bord-pleanala/

The reason it's refused?....."...on the grounds that it is located on the outskirts of the town, in a location that is poorly accessible from the town centre and would conflict with retail policy"

What does "conflict with retail policy" mean? And, what do they want...for the cinema to built within the town centre, where there's already parking limitations?

bladespin

It's a joke.

chrysagon

There are retail units out there already..pure nonsense,,

chrysagon

And be quite honest people should vote with their feet in regards Diamind cinema

paulski999

Have to agree, surely it's ideally located, plenty of parking on the outskirts of the town, which makes more sense, in a location which will drive more passing trade for the shops already in the retail park. Makes no sense.

bladespin

chrysagon wrote: »

And be quite honest people should vote with their feet in regards Diamind cinema

Agree, haven't been in 6 years, last time was terrible and vowed not to return (funnily - it was my first date with the mrs :eek:)

The Ashbourne cinema is everything the Diamond isn't - comfortable, quality sound and picture along with free and ample parking etc, it's just a pity to have to trek to another town to see a movie.

chrysagon

Navan is one of those towns with some very strange planning decisions, a postoffice and multistory carpark exit on a roundabout at Scoil Mhuire, a car park on Timmons hill that made national headlines a few yrs back for all the wrong reasons, a town thats known for gridlock, yet when an idea comes to promote business to a retail park in need of it, its rejected, i find the whole planning system non transparent.

What is the point of local cllrs, have they no say? Everyone i knew was in favour of a cinema out there, plenty of parking etc, all it does is drive business to Blanchardstown, to the detriment of Navan.

Skrynesaver

chewed wrote: »

Very disappointing to read that the proposed Cinema in Navan Retail Park has been refused again!

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2014/11/13/4033842-cinema-plans-shot-down-by-bord-pleanala/

The reason it's refused?....."...on the grounds that it is located on the outskirts of the town, in a location that is poorly accessible from the town centre and would conflict with retail policy"

What does "conflict with retail policy" mean? And, what do they want...for the cinema to built within the town centre, where there's already parking limitations?

I assume the objection is that people would have to drive to it, but given the fact that most people currently drive to Ashbourne rather than walk to the local fleapit i don't see how that argument holds water.

chrysagon

bladespin wrote: »

Agree, haven't been in 6 years, last time was terrible and vowed not to return (funnily - it was my first date with the mrs :eek:)

The Ashbourne cinema is everything the Diamond isn't - comfortable, quality sound and picture along with free and ample parking etc, it's just a pity to have to trek to another town to see a movie.

Bladespin,
A town the size of Navan, 28k population last census, should have modern facilities to cater for the needs of the community.. but we dont, we barely have a pool, we have public parks that are almost no go areas, and lack lustre local cllrs who are only seen come election time..

chewed

chrysagon wrote: »

Bladespin,
A town the size of Navan, 28k population last census, should have modern facilities to cater for the needs of the community.. but we dont, we barely have a pool, we have public parks that are almost no go areas, and lack lustre local cllrs who are only seen come election time..

You only have to look at the layout of the centre of the town to realise the bad planning that took place over the last few decades!

jeffk

KFC all over again.

Herself is from Navan and in the three years with her we went to the Diamond a handful of times. It’s like a throwback from when I was growing up going into the Savoy etc in town and not in a good way. Very small seats, poor screen quality and a haphazard set up with little or no deals on tickets etc.

Then out to Showtime in a Celtic tiger ghost retail park, even the takeaway diner closed beside it (the fact they closed before the cinema finished probably didn’t help). Yes it’s a good modern cinema, but if you’re driving to Ashborune you might as well drive to Blanch. A dirty winter’s night going out back roads versus a motorway or even the old road, I know what id choose.

The same can be said for going to Drogheda, out on back roads again.

chrysagon

The decision has cost the area revenue and jobs... Blanch will still be getting my Euro!

Its ironic but the Navan Christmas experience is been promoted, to encourage people to shop local this Christmas.. they want u to sit in prolonged traffic, to find a car space and pay over the odds for it... Blanch is 25 mins up the motorway, free parking and all under one roof..enough said..

PauloMN

Yep, best of luck with getting people to spend in Navan. Won't be going to the Diamond again, can't park close to it aside from that dump of a shopping centre car park beside it which of course isn't free.

Blanch or Liffey Valley it is for me from Trim - no contest I'm afraid as long as Navan town planning continues with the stupid decision making it has up to now. Convenient free parking and modern cinemas. It's a shame as I do like to support local, but refuse to put my money into a half-arsed cinema that has nothing going for it.

bladespin

chrysagon wrote: »

Bladespin,
A town the size of Navan, 28k population last census, should have modern facilities to cater for the needs of the community.. but we dont, we barely have a pool, we have public parks that are almost no go areas, and lack lustre local cllrs who are only seen come election time..

I have to argue this, the pool is fantastic and IMO well run, the park's brilliant too, I was there with the kids recently and can't see how it could be described as a 'no go' area, I even run it some evenings and haven't encountered anything untoward - I'm not saying it doesn't happen, there was a vandalism incident there recently.

I've already been chided here for slagging off the councilors though, glad I'm not in the minority on that one, even though (to be fair) as I understand it, they did approve the cinema.

I just struggle with the fact that there seems to be so much pandering to vested interests, the SC is killing the main street, it strangles the town and is, well, a bit rubbish really, yet we are seemingly herded to it.

I've said it before, I'd prefer to go miles out of my way than shop in town, it's such a pain and I think that's a bit sad, I like the town, I'm from it and I'll defend it but think it's run shockingly and any attempt to improve it seems to hit a wall.

Stroke Politics

It's not what you propose, it's who you are.

The only cinema that will be allowed in this town will be the one that there is a planning permission notice for on Carraige Road, between the Pitch & Putt Club and Beechmount Garden Centre. Fact.

Vego

the duignan factor

chrysagon

Transparency isnt in local politics dictionary!

bryaner

A ffs, is that the last throw of the dice so?