The Conde Duque Santa Engracia and Alberto Aguilera cinemas in Madrid close

Madrid is left without two of its most emblematic central halls and few are left. The two Cines Conde Duque complexes, located in Calle Santa Engracia and Calle Alberto Aguilera, will close their doors on Monday 18 July.

Cines Verdi, responsible for managing both multiplexes, have been informed of this “very thoughtful and painful decision” through a message to its customers with which they greet each other after so many years “be a weekly refuge for cinephiles in the neighborhood”.

In 2016 Verdi Cinemas took over the management of these two emblematic Madrid theaters and the Conde Duque Goya, which closed in February 2020, before the entire industry came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the reopening, the Alberto Aguileras and Santa Engracias are back, but the sector is still waiting for a more important return: that of the adult public. Neighborhood cinemas like these relied heavily on retirees, but they clearly haven’t returned with the necessary strength.

Fewer and fewer neighborhood cinemas

The Chamberí district thus loses the five rooms that made up the Conde Duque Santa Engracia, and the three rooms of the Alberto Aguilera, which also had sessions in the original version with subtitles. The neighborhood will be able to continue enjoying the Cine Verdi, on Calle Bravo Murillo. The company ensures it “will strengthen programming” continue to offer a large catalog of films and special content, such as documentaries or concerts. Also nearby are Cinesa Proyecciones, on Calle Fuencarral, Yelmo Luxury Palafox on Calle Luchana, which offers premium rooms with food service, and Cine Paz, which reopened late last year with mk2 as new managers. , which introduced new morning sessions, cinema in the original version with subtitles and films ranging from main releases to the most evocative independent cinema in dubbed versions, as well as ballet, theater and music.