Cinema City opens in Czechia six weeks after restrictions lifted

Cinema City is finally opening its 13 theaters in the Czech Republic after a hiatus of three months. According to the government, the company could have opened for business on May 11 on the same day shopping malls opened up, but it chose not to do so, claiming it would have been unprofitable. Its competitor Cinestar has been open for business since May but it had to leave entire rows free and couldn't sit more than two people together. The problem isn't just that many consumers are still afraid to spend two hours with complete strangers in enclosed spaces. Business is usually driven by new film openings, but most of these have been put on hold thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. The premiere of Bourák, a Czech film, made just CZK 2.3m during its first weekend when 16,000 people bought tickets. That's more than CZK 8 mllion less than a similar premiere held in February.