20/01/2003 - The best results in 30 years: audiences of 176 million (+13per cent) and 12 films taking more than 30 million Euro. And 2003 looks set to be even better

According to the Cinema Advertising Association - CAA - which monitors admissions in the UK cinemas that accept advertising, 2002 was the most successful year since 1972. A new admissions record was set:176m, a 13 per cent increase on 2001, and a weekly admissions average of 3.37m. Total box office earnings for 2002 were £755m (Euros1,132.5m), a 17 per cent increase on 2001, and a 275 per cent increase on the decade.
February and December were the best-performing months on record since 1969 with, respectively, 19million and 16.9 million admissions, the overwhelming majority of which were for major US blockbusters.
Furthermore, 12 films each earned over £20m (Euros30m) compared to just 7 in 2001 and 4 in 2000. “This industry is going from strength to strength with more screens and more choice of films attracting all sorts of audiences; it is no wonder that cinema is booming in every sense,” commented Debbie Chalet, the president of the CAA. “2003 will be another strong year with an extremely wide range of film releases catering for all segments of the cinema audience.”

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