WHILE LIMERICK city planners insist they are anxious to have a cinema complex located in the city centre, industry sources have again indicated to the Lmerick Post that it is unlikely to happen in the immediate future.
There were suggestions in other media last year that cinemas were imminent in Bedford Row, but Michael Daly of Fordmount, who was mentioned as a possible developer, told the Post at the time that while he would like to see such a project come to fruition, he had no immediate plans to develop a cinema site in Bedford Row. He emphasised that he had not, despite newspaper reports, entered into any discussions with any of the main players in the cinema industry in Ireland
“If it is to happen, it is a few years down the road yet. I don’t know anything about the industry”.
A spokesman for Ward Anderson, who own the Omniplex at Crescent, told the Post they would not be interested in opening at a city centre location in Limerick.
“City centre cinemas are a thing of the past”, he said.
A few months ago, the planning department refused to enter into negotiations with Cork based cinema operator Tommy O’Connor, who had enquired about opening a 10 screen complex alongside the Jetland Centre.
He was told by council officials that they were not interested in discussing such a possibility with him, as their preference was for city centre cinemas.
“I had talks with Michael Daly about a city centre location, but I did not pursue it.
“For a start, there is no parking available other than at Dunnes Store on Henry Street, and who is going to pay for that privilege when they can park at the Omniplex and Storm for free.
“The Caherdavin site interested me and if given the go-ahead, I would have been up and running in July, creating a lot of jobs. I was disappointed with the response from the authorities. I went to them with a plan and they would not even listen”.
