Gorey cinema owners expand with Dublin move
The Spurling family who run Movies@Gorey on the Courtown Road have taking control of two Dublin cinema multiplexes.
Two of the country’s busiest cinema complexes, Movies@Dundrum and Movies@Swords, are now under sole control of the Spurling family after they bought out their fellow shareholders in the venues.
The multiplexes opened more than a decade ago in a joint venture between the Spurling and O’Gorman families, both who have been involved in the cinema business for at least two generations. The O’Gorman family decided to sell their stakes as the family retires from the cinema business.
Speaking about Movies@Gorey, owner Graham Spurling said it will not affect Gorey cinema at all.
‘I want to assure our customers that Gorey will not end up with Dublin city centre prices at all,’ added Mr Spurling. ‘The only benefit Gorey will see in the future is all vouchers will be usable in the other two properties in Dublin.’
Mr Spurling said the property in Gorey is still a separate business from the other two in Dublin, but they are in the middle of bringing all three Movies@ cinemas under the one umbrella.
‘My mother and father opened Gorey cinema in 2010 and 2017 was the best 12 months since then,’ said Mr Spurling. ‘Numbers are up since 2016, and it is the best we have seen in the seven years.’
Looking ahead to 2018, Mr Spurling said the year looks great in terms of screenings that they are planning for Gorey.
‘Three Billboards has been a great success, and we now have The Post out as well,’ said Mr Spurling. ‘I think the highest grossing film for this summer will be Mamma Mia 2.’
He said the coming year looks a lot stronger than last year in terms of blockbusters for adults.
‘We are always striving and we will always be the best value for money,’ said Mr Spurling. ‘We were the first in the county for the Monday meal deal.’
He reported that the screenings of opera, ballets, concerts and plays are doing very well in Gorey.
Mr Spurling has been in the cinema business for more than 40 years, after his mother and father started a cinema in Greystones in 1976.