Omniplex Sunderland
4 Lambton Street,
Sunderland,
SR1 1TP
4 Lambton Street,
Sunderland,
SR1 1TP
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Omniplex Cinemas (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: Omniplex Cinemas
Previously operated by: Empire Cinemas UK
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Previous Names: Cineworld Cinema - Sunderland, Empire Sunderland
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Built on part of the site of Black’s Theatre Royal (which has its own page on Cinema Treasures), which had its entrance on Bedford Street. The Limelight Entertainment Complex (by 2023 renamed Sunniside Leisure) opened as 12-screen Cineworld on 25th November 2004. It has two sets of entrances, one on Lambton Street, the other on Bedford Street. It was purchased by Empire Cinemas UK in March 2006 and re-branded Empire. With a total seating capacity of 2,217-seats, the seating capacities in the screens range from 270, down to 101. Four of the screens have VIP Boxes which seat 8 to 12 persons. It was closed on 6th July 2023 due to Empire Cinemas UK entering into administration.
In March 2024 it was announced that the Empire Sunderland has been taken over by Irish based Omniplex Cinema, and was renovated. It reopened on 10th May 2024.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Concession remodel and refurbishment which consisted of the removal and replacement of the complete concession stands and the full redecoration and alteration of the entrance lobbies since opening as Cineworld.
Now closed due to Empire entering administration as of yesterday.
The complex was renamed Sunniside Leisure at some point.
Announced today that Omniplex are to tr=open the complex after agreeing a lease with the Council owners. Refurbishment prior to opening will take up to 18 months though! Omniplex Cinemas Group is an Ireland based operator with the director being Paul John Anderson. There will be 12 screens as before, with up to 30 jobs created once opened again.
Omniplex has just announced that this cinema will reopen tomorrow: Friday, 10th May 2024.
Forty jobs have been created with the return of the cinema and Omniplex Cinemas has set aside an investment fund for modernisation and improvements over the next 12 months.
Renovations will see the installation of luxury Recline seating and sofa beds in screens and new food and beverage options in the lobby.
In September 2025, courtesy of Omniplex director Paul Anderson, I was able to take a comprehensive look at the Avenue, Belfast, the circuit’s first purpose-built luxury (‘boutique’) cinema. The ‘Avenue’ branding then made its initial appearance in England at this multiplex, which has been the subject of a massive refurbishment (and virtual rebuild, internally) by Omniplex. Once again, Paul facilitated my visit, and General Manager Martin Dewhurst kindly showed me around.
The cinema has five luxury Avenue screens. Four occupy the original VIP boxes while the fifth is a new, stand-alone, creation. That is Avenue 1, and has 24 seats. Avenue 2, with 9 seats, is at the back of Screen 2, while Avenue 5, also with 9 seats, is at the back of Screen 12. Avenue screens 3 and 4, with 11 seats each, are at either side of the rear of the MAXX screen. The dedicated Avenue bar/lounge is at first floor level.
The transformed foyer (in which the original second entrance, onto Bedford Street, has been blocked up and has the repositioned ticket/concession counter in front of it) includes a ‘signature’ Omniplex feature, Joe’s Food Truck, a genuine airstream trailer, while, rather imaginatively, Screen 8 has 16 double sofa beds.