Movie lovers say farewell to President Cinema

Scores of movie lovers on Tuesday bade farewell to President Cinema in Causeway Bay, bringing the curtain down on almost six decades of showing films. Its operator, Newport Circuit, had announced last week that the theatre on Jaffe Road was closing after Tuesday, though it did not say why. Still, Newport Circuit thanked customers for their support throughout the years. While some people were just there to snap pictures, others bought tickets for the final shows at the theatre that first opened in 1966. Leo, an actor, said it was a pity that a platform which showcased cinematic productions was disappearing. "I've been here one or two times many years ago," he said. "I don't care if it's old or if the seat is good or bad, I just want to [catch a film] for the last time in this cinema." Another movie-goer, Alice, said she was watching a film at the cinema for the first time. "This kind of old cinema is very rare. They disappear when the industry is on decline and not many people are buying tickets, so I think if I have the chance to sit down and watch a movie [here] once, I'd like to go," she said. A regular customer, meanwhile, said the cinema brought back a lot of memories for her, from the days when people could still buy grilled squid before going into the theatre. "There's nothing we can do. Now everyone watches movies at home," she said. Last week, a Golden Harvest cinema in Kai Tak also closed down, following the end of its tenancy contract.