Cinemas to close in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain until further notice, says operator Vox

Company says its screens in the cities will be closed from Friday

Cinemas in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain were ordered to close in February, including Vox Cinemas. Mona Al Marzooqi for The National

Cinemas have been ordered to close in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, a UAE company that operates them said.

Customers said they were turned away from Vox Cinema in Yas Mall on Friday by staff who said the company had received a notice instructing cinemas in the emirate to shut.

“In compliance with the government-mandated closure of cinemas in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, Vox Cinemas will be temporarily closed from Friday, 5 February until further notice,” a post on the company’s Instagram account said.

“We will be back soon, so please stay tuned for updates on reopening.”

Last month, Dubai introduced restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19.

It cut seating capacity in entertainment venues including cinemas and sports stadiums to 50 per cent.

But the closure of cinemas is the first such measure to affect Abu Dhabi.

Cinemas in the emirate closed in March but were granted permission to reopen at limited capacity in August, with precautions such as mandatory masks and social distancing.