Council thanks BCC for long-term cinema commitment to city

07 December 2018

Ipswich City Council has confirmed Birch Carroll & Coyle’s decision to close the Ipswich City Square cinemas in mid-2019 and thanked the company for its long business commitment and support to the city.

Interim Administrator Greg Chemello said BCC owners Event Hospitality & Entertainment Limited contacted council yesterday to terminate the monthly tenancy of the lease from Ipswich City Properties Pty Ltd in 2019.

Council is delivering the most significant transformation of the Ipswich city centre in more than 30 years. The multi-million-dollar redevelopment, Ipswich Central, will recreate the heart of the CBD, with a mixture of entertainment, dining and retail premises.

“The mall and retail spaces are being developed over the next 18 months and we can understand Birch Carroll & Coyle views about this being a disruption to business. It is sad to see a business which has been around Ipswich for so long deciding it is no longer viable,” he said.

“There are some great businesses in the mall precinct and we encourage everybody to make the effort to patronise their services at this time. There is some demolition work going on at present, but footpaths and access to businesses remain open.

“Council looks forward to the redevelopment of the Ipswich CBD. We will work hard to secure a range of new tenants for Ipswich Central across the entertainment, dining and retail spectrum as part of the renewal of this precinct.”

Mr Chemello reiterated council’s key strategic objectives, including to create an enduring and thriving civic heart for the City of Ipswich; a core open plaza framed by the city’s main library, water features, public art, malls, cafes, restaurants and convenience retail offerings, with strong connectivity to Riverlink, Top of Town, key future civic and cultural sites and the rest of the CBD, attracting both residents and tourists to the city centre.

The first sign of work appeared last month with construction starting on Nicholas Street and Union Place, which will reopen to low speed traffic and operate as a shared pedestrian zone.

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