26/05/2026
Hello & Sorry in advance (prepare for a kinda long read ……..)
Firstly, my deepest apologies for the ‘radio silence’ regarding Summer Season 2026🎬
We were thrown a huge curveball in April when the council informed us we would not be able to use the premises.
Since then, we have been frantically trying to find a resolution.
*Contrary to the plenty of social media theories, the Cinema building is neither dangerous nor a health risk.
To be absolutely sure of that, we commissioned our own structural engineer assessment.
We would never put our guests (or ourselves!) in danger.
The issue lies not with the Cinema building, but with the (we now know) lengthy, ongoing feud between the council & the property owners regarding the disrepair of their adjacent buildings/etc.
In a desperate effort to force the owners’ to repair their many Papadiamantis St properties,
a random committee issued a notice to the effect that the Cinema space can not be used- a committee that never actually visited the cinema!🙄
A bureaucratic & non- effective result for the council …..ironic on so many levels! 🤷♀️
a) The owners aren’t bothered if we don’t open this year – 15 yrs rent & now they’re looking forward to completing inheritance stuff & leveling the huge surrounding area for development next year.
b) The hastily implemented safety measures to the adjacent buildings/walls to comply with the invisible committee are … a metal distance-perimeter taking up ½ the width of Papadiamantis St. & some flimsy mesh.
Neither convincing as safety measures for the supposed danger nor appropriate for the island’s central shopping street!
And so, with the ‘help & support’ of the council & building owners, we are in the very sad (& frustrating🤬!) position of informing you that we will not be opening for business as usual😓
In a nutshell, these external forces have thwarted any & every attempt we’ve made to try and open, but unfortunately it’s now out of our hands.
Our happy evenings of silly fun require military organization & of course, an AMAZING crew!
Our loyal & fantastic team have waited until now to learn their fate.
I thank them with all my heart 🥰
Your messages & emails are in the thousands!
We thank you for them, and hope you understand why we can’t reply individually🙏
We shall be back, better than ever, in the very near future! 🤗
So it’s not “Goodbye” from us, but ‘Au revoir” - until we meet again.
Much love, Open-Air Cinema, Skiathos🍿xx
