What Arc Cinema, does

Arc Cinema operates a 16-site regional cinema chain across the United Kingdom (9 locations) and the Republic of Ireland (7 locations), with registered headquarters in Great Yarmouth, England and a parent entity of Melcorpo Commercial Properties Limited. The chain runs under two legal vehicles — Arc Cinema Limited for UK operations and Arc Leisure Limited T/A The Arc Cinema for Irish operations — and lists approximately 29 staff, a figure that almost certainly represents head office or core staff only given that cinema exhibition relies heavily on part-time projectionists, ushers, and concession workers. The site portfolio spans small-to-mid-sized towns including Beeston, Blackpool, Daventry, Hucknall, Lewisham, Peterhead, Preston, Rotherham, Cork, Drogheda, Ennis, Navan, Mallow, Midleton, and Wexford. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the 16 physical sites, onlinecinematickets.com booking portals, and a mobile application available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Amazon Fire.

The core offering is standard daily film exhibition supplemented by premium-format HYPERSENSE auditoriums (luxury recliner seating, Dolby Atmos, 4K laser projection, wall-to-wall screens) and IMAX screens. Programming is layered with community and accessibility formats: Kids Club, Silver Screen (over-60s), Parent & Baby, Sensory Friendly, Subtitled Mondays, World Cinema (Indian, Japanese, Telugu, Malayalam), Gate Screen (curated/arthouse), and Arc Live! Event Cinema broadcasting Royal Opera House, Royal Ballet, Met Opera, and National Theatre Live performances. Adjacent entertainment revenue is generated through The Merch Hub (retail), The Arcade (gaming), and Arc Arena Navan (bowling, laser tag, arcade, and food and beverage).

Revenue is generated through ticket sales (UK standard from £4.95-£6.95; Ireland from €7.50-€7.95), concessions, gift cards and e-vouchers, private and corporate hire (bulk from £7/ticket, minimum 50), group bookings (from £6.50/person, minimum 25), and HYPERSENSE premium-format evening surcharges of up to £11.95. The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer with no apparent intermediary distribution; the customer base is intentionally diversified across families, seniors, students, accessibility-focused audiences, cultural-event attendees, and corporate buyers. There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or public-market events, and the company is privately held under Melcorpo Commercial Properties Limited.

Name

Arc Cinema,

Legal name

Arc Cinema Limited / Arc Leisure Limited T/A The Arc Cinema

Website

https://arccinema.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arc Cinema is a privately held regional cinema chain operating 16 locations across the UK and Ireland, offering standard, premium HYPERSENSE/IMAX formats, event-cinema programming, and adjacent entertainment venues to families, students, seniors, and accessibility-focused audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cinema Entertainment Services

NAICS

Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cinema Concessions & On-site F&B Operations (MPADAKAN), Private Screenings & Venue Rentals (Corporate, Parties) (MPADAKAJ)

Keywords

• Cinema entertainment services
• Movie ticket sales
• Premium cinema formats
• Event cinema screenings
• Film exhibition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Preston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cinema Ticket Sales: One-time transaction revenue from individual movie ticket sales across all locations and screening types, including standard, premium (HYPERSENSE, IMAX, 3D), and special events.
2. Food and Beverage Sales: Concession sales including popcorn, drinks, snacks, combos, and alcohol service at select locations.
3. Private Hire and Corporate Events: Revenue from screen hire for corporate presentations, conferences, training days, private screenings, and group bookings.
4. Gift Cards and E-Vouchers: Sale of physical and digital gift cards redeemable for tickets, concessions, and premium experiences.
5. Arc Live Event Cinema: Premium event cinema screenings including Royal Opera House, Royal Ballet, Met Opera productions, and live concerts.
6. Premium Format Upgrades: Additional charges for HYPERSENSE experiences, recliner seat upgrades, and luxury seating options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arc Cinema operates a multi-site regional cinema chain across the UK and Ireland, showing standard film releases alongside premium formats such as HYPERSENSE (luxury recliner seating with Dolby Atmos and 4K laser projection) and IMAX. It supplements core film screenings with specialized programming strands (Kids Club, Silver Screen, Sensory Friendly, Subtitled, Parent & Baby, World Cinema, Gate Screen) and Arc Live! event cinema broadcasts of opera, ballet, and theatre. Ancillary revenue comes from concessions, gift cards, merchandise, and corporate/private venue hire.

Product overview

Arc Cinema operates as a multi-location cinema chain across the UK and Ireland, offering a comprehensive portfolio of cinematic and entertainment experiences. The core offering centers on standard daily film screenings featuring the latest releases. Premium experiences include HYPERSENSE (luxury recliner seating with Dolby Atmos sound, 4K laser projection, and wall-to-wall screens) and IMAX screenings. Specialized programming encompasses Kids Club (family films on weekends/holidays), Silver Screen (over 60s with complimentary refreshments), Parent & Baby screenings, Sensory Friendly screenings, Subtitled Monday screenings, World Cinema (international films), and Gate Screen. Arc Live! Event Cinema broadcasts live opera, ballet, and theatre performances. Additional services include private/corporate hire, gift cards, food & beverage, and at select locations, entertainment venues like Arc Arena (bowling, laser tag, arcade games) and The Merch Hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HYPERSENSE: Premium cinematic experience featuring luxury recliner seating, Dolby Atmos sound, 4K laser projection, and giant wall-to-wall screens
• Arc Live!
• Silver Screen
• Kids Club
• Subtitled Mondays

Products and services

• HYPERSENSE
• IMAX

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal Opera HousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArc Cinema screens Royal Ballet and Royal Opera productions through the Arc Live! Event Cinema program, bringing opera and ballet performances to local cinema audiences across the UK and Ireland.
• The Royal BalletcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to screen Royal Ballet productions including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Manon, Romeo & Juliet, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
• The Met Opera (New York)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScreening Met Opera productions including La Fanciulla del West, Macbeth, and other major opera performances.
• National Theatre LiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScreening National Theatre productions such as The Misanthrope.
• Safe IrelandminorOthersIrish domestic violence support organization receiving proceeds from charity screenings of Wicked for International Women's Day.
• Women's Aid UKminorOthersUK domestic violence charity receiving proceeds from charity screenings in UK locations for International Women's Day.
• Drogheda Women's and Children's Refuge CentreminorOthersLocal charity receiving funds from Irish cinema charity screenings.
• Meath Women's Refuge & Support ServicesminorOthersLocal charity receiving funds from Irish cinema charity screenings.
• Clare Haven ServicesminorOthersLocal charity receiving funds from Irish cinema charity screenings.
• Good Shepherd Cork Support ServiceminorOthersLocal charity receiving funds from Irish cinema charity screenings.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cineworld Group: One of the largest cinema operators globally with a major UK footprint (including Picturehouse). Directly comparable as a national cinema chain competing in overlapping regional UK markets with similar premium large-format offerings.
• Everyman Cinemas: UK boutique cinema chain focused on premium experience with luxury seating, F&B service, and curated programming. Highly comparable business model to Arc's premium-positioned, community-focused cinema approach.
• Reel Cinemas: UK cinema chain operating regional sites with a similar sub-scale, regional-town positioning to Arc. Comparable business model competing in overlapping secondary markets with similar pricing tiers.
• Omniplex Cinemas: Irish cinema chain with multi-site presence across the Republic of Ireland. Direct competitor to Arc's Irish locations, with similar mid-market positioning and premium-format investment.
• Odeon Cinemas: AMC-owned cinema chain with the largest share of UK cinema screens. Comparable as a national cinema operator offering premium formats (IMAX, Dolby) and competing directly in overlapping catchment areas.
• Empire Cinemas: UK cinema chain operating multiplex sites including Northern Ireland. Comparable as a regional cinema operator competing in overlapping catchment areas with similar standard/premium format offerings.
• Vue Cinemas: Largest UK-domiciled cinema chain by number of sites, operating multiplexes across the UK and Ireland. Directly comparable as a multi-site cinema operator competing for the same regional customer base with similar premium formats and event cinema programming.
• IMC Cinemas: Independent Irish cinema chain operating multiple sites in Ireland. Direct competitor in Arc's Irish markets with comparable regional-town positioning and programming mix.
• Showcase Cinemas: UK cinema operator with multi-site regional presence and family-focused programming. Comparable as a regional cinema chain offering similar ticket pricing, family events, and standard/premium format mix.

Emerging players

• Hollywood Bowl Group: UK-listed ten-pin bowling and family entertainment centre operator. Comparable as a multi-site UK/regional entertainment venue operator and a useful benchmark for Arc Arena's bowling/laser tag extension beyond traditional cinema.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@arccinema
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arc-cinema-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arc Cinema,