Next change: As anchor tenants evolve, so must mall operators

Cinemas were once a crowd puller for shopping centres. The most popular malls were often also those with a box office – typically spanning the top floor like a crown jewel. More recently, however, it appears the silver screen has lost some of its appeal. How does this change the way mall operators try to draw the crowds?

Jude Chan

Published Fri, Feb 17, 2023 · 12:00 PM

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WHEN the curtain came down mid-last year on the iconic The Cathay Cineplex at Handy Road, something changed forever in the city-state’s landscape. One of Singapore’s oldest cinemas, in operation since 1939, The Cathay Cineplex hosted more than a few hot dates as the first air-conditioned theatre on the island.

Of course, there is still a market for cinemas. And it might be premature to herald the end times for film theatres.

But The Cathay Cineplex’s closure is a symbol of the declining attraction of cinemas within shopping centres. They are no longer a big draw for shoppers, and no longer a differentiator for mall operators.