First off PACL said they were closing the cinema for the foreseeable future as ‘there’s no footfall during the summer’ I didn’t believe this for one minute and nor too have 1500+ people who have signed this petition. Of course this groundswell of support against the closure caught PACL on the hop so then came the second statement telling us ‘the cinema is just not viable’ ( ie spring, summer, autumn and winter). I guess they hope that if they say it enough times people will start to believe it and accept at face value PACL’s claim that they are the innocent victims of trying to run an operation that is not viable and won’t pay, BUT WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF THIS? I HAVE SEEN NOTHING BUT AS I AND OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST PROBLEMS IN HOW THE PLACE IS RUN. Here’s two things to mull over:- 1) PACL are now saying the cinema is too small to pay its way! As I have said many times they operate a multi purpose venue of which the cinema is one part along with venue hire, cafe, bar, events and exhibitions and retail. Lots of commercial opportunities. I grew up in Brecon ( population less than 8000). It has a COMMERCIALLY operated cinema ( The Coliseum) that has been in continuous operation in my 50+ years and more. It is solely a cinema and apart from sweets, coke and ice cream showing films is its income. It clearly makes a profit – small or otherwise or it simply would not be open. Please don’t be fooled into believing PACL’s tale of woe about the cinema being unviable. That was never in their original statement of 22/2/17 and was only then thrown out there in their subsequent statement on the Pavilion website on 9/3/17 following the massive outcry over the cinema closure – something as I say they clearly were not prepared for. Of course our cinema can work – it just may take someone other than PACL to operate it! 2) The Pavilion is a client of the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) a kind of one stop shop social enterprise for independent cinemas like the Pavilion which along with advice handles the film distribution / programming etc. As far as I can tell cinemas pay an agreed % of box office takings for this. The Pavilion is one of 20 such cinemas to be clients of ICO ( details on their website http://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/) In Wales there is one other client cinema – the Galeri in Caernarvon. Take a look at their website (http://www.galericaernarfon.com/) See how they prominently promote their screenings, their food and drink offer, promotions etc etc. Then please don’t be so quick to believe the hype of PACL. Of course the Pavilion and its cinema are viable!