In 1946, British cinemas sold a record 1.64 billion tickets. The spread of television ownership, the video recorder and underinvestment in cinemas, many of which became dingy and dirty, all reduced admissions, notes Ed Bowsher in the Financial Times. The year 1984 marked the trough, with 54 million tickets sold.
Multiplexes spurred a revival, as there was more choice and they were more pleasant environments. Once people began drifting back, smaller, independent operators burgeoned. Cinemas are now installing sofas and bringing food to people’s seats to keep them keen.