The Light Cinemas rolls out EPoS technology from industry-specialist providers, Vista and J2 Retail Systems, to a second venue

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New player on the European cinema circuit, The Light Cinemas, has rolled out an EPoS solution from specialist Vista Entertainment Solutions and its hardware partner J2 Retail Systems in a second venue.

The Light Cinemas already uses Vista for all their European cinemas and now the combined J2 and Vista solution is running at Neustadt Centrum, in Halle, Germany and in New Brighton on the Wirral Peninsula. Each of these venues has 8 screens, equipped with state-of-the-art digital picture and sound. The cinema at New Brighton is part of a major urban regeneration programme that also includes a casino, restaurants, bars, retail and a hotel.

The Light Cinemas is using the J2 630 PC-based touchscreen EPoS terminal. Explains Keith Pullinger, Managing Director: "We use both our ticket offices and our concession counters to sell tickets. We like being able to pole-mount the J2 630s so we can swivel the screens round to let customers select their seats."

Adds Vista's Phil Meredith: "Vista and J2 work together across hundreds of venues for clients such as Vue, Cineworld, Everyman and Apollo.  Installing J2s is smooth and fast, which helps new venues come on stream quickly and efficiently.  We find the J2 630 a particularly good machine.  It's highly reliable, which enables clients to dispense with fixed maintenance contracts, adding up to a high level of satisfaction and a low cost of ownership."

The Light Cinemas was established to capture a growing element of the UK and European cinema-going market. It targets all socio-economic categories but puts particular emphasis on the A, B and C demographics, families and the mature market.  The Light Cinemas' first opening was in the Liberty Centre in Bucharest, Romania.  Early 2013 will see it open a fourth cinema in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

Continues Keith Pullinger: "We aim to make our cinemas a social hub for the whole community and opt for city-centre locations that are easy for drivers and safe for pedestrians to reach. At New Brighton, The Light has quickly become the cinema of choice for people on the Wirral with admissions and turnover 30% above our initial expectations and further growth occurring as the scheme matures."

With digital technology, The Light can show the newest on-screen content including broadcasts of live arts and sports programmes as well as blockbusters, independent and international films.  It provides a quality food and drink experience that appeals to cinema-goers turned off by the predominantly youth-targeted 'popcorn and cola' multiplexes.