The 18-screen Cineworld on Renfrew Street in Glasgow will close after 20 years as the owner of the building moves ahead with plans to take back the building.

The owner of the cinema building on Renfrew Street is ending a 20 year relationship with Cineworld. Staff have been told about the landlord’s intentions to take back the site from the current operator.

An email sent to staff on said that this would result in the cinema closing: “This situation is outside of our control however, we acknowledge that this is an uncertain period for you and we will endeavour to ensure that you remain the first to know of any further developments,” the email from company director Shaun Jones and operations director Mark Whitty says.

Omniplex, an Irish cinema group, bought the site for £7 million in May this year. The firm, owned by the Anderson family which has a history in the film and cinema business dating back to 1948, entered the UK market in 2023, acquiring former Empire cinema sites. Omniplex owns 43 cinemas, with 21 in the Republic of Ireland and 22 cinemas in the UK. STV reports that Cineworld has been leasing the building for more than £1m a year, and that the lease on the building was due to run until 2036 before the landlord issued an early termination notice.

A Cineworld spokesperson said: “We are aware of the landlord’s intention to take back the site at Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street. We have communicated to and are working closely with our employees that may be impacted. At this stage, we do not have further information to share.”

Cineworld on Renfrew street in Glasgow city centre is the tallest cinema building in the world, with an overall height of 62 m (203.41 ft). It opening its doors on 21 September 2001, at 12 storeys high it holds 18 screens and has a seating capacity of 4,277.