The Projector announces closure, weeks after saying that it would resume screenings at Golden Mile Tower

Independent cinema operator The Projector announced its sudden exit from the market on Tuesday (Aug 19). The decision is a complete reversal from its previous plans to resume screenings at its Golden Mile Tower outlet. According to The Projector, it will enter "voluntary liquidation".

In a statement, The Projector's founder, Karen Tan, said that the decision to shut down the cinema "breaks [their] hearts".

"We’ve fought to keep The Projector alive through every challenge – from breathing new life into a disused cinema at Golden Mile Tower, to weathering the pandemic, to expanding to new spaces," wrote Tan.

"But the combination of rising costs, changing audience habits and the worst consumer market conditions in a decade has left us with no viable path forward."

The Projector, which opened in 2014, added that it has ceased operations effective immediately.

A spokesperson for The Projector separately confirmed with CNA Lifestyle that The Projector "is completely shutting down".

Tan has also thanked the team behind The Projector as well as "collaborators, partners and most of all loyal audiences who believed in what [they] were trying to do".

"The Projector may be closing, but we hope its spirit will live on in the conversations, ideas and communities we’ve nurtured. If Singapore wants to thrive, it must find a way for creative and cultural businesses to survive because culture is the cornerstone of identity and civil society," added Tan.

Prior to Tuesday's closure announcement, The Projector had events and screenings lined up in the coming days.

In an automated email, The Projector stated that all screenings and events scheduled after Aug 19 have been cancelled.

"Because the company will be placed into liquidation, we are not able to issue refunds directly. Any refund claims related to tickets, Projector memberships, purchased vouchers and/or Projector e-gift cards, will need to be submitted through the appointed liquidator," added The Projector.

Further details will be added to The Projector's FAQ page in the coming days.

In an interview with CNA in February, Tan said they were battling with rising operational costs of up to 40 per cent compared to the last two years. She cited the rise of streaming services and competition from social media platforms for consumers’ attention.

She had also added that their revenues "have actually increased by 50 per cent from 2019 till today.” Tan cited “strong F&B (food and beverage) revenue streams, because we've got a bar that has hosted a lot of events. We are also a very popular venue for corporates to hire out as well.”

Still, she admitted it had been a “really tough operating environment”.

“Probably tougher than we’ve ever seen, and that’s because we’re all contending with post-COVID inflation and rents remain very high, as well as utility costs and manpower costs.”

CNA Lifestyle has reached out to The Projector for further comments.