Empire Cinemas

7 May 2019

Empire Cinemas is the largest independently-owned cinema chain in the UK, currently operating 185 screens in 18 cinemas across the United Kingdom. This includes two new cinema complexes at Hemel Hempstead and Catterick Garrison which both opened in October 2015.

The new cinema complexes form part of two new prestigious projects. The 17 screen Hemel Hempstead cinema is part of a £7 million revamped (and renamed) Jarmen Square development and the 7 Screen Catterick Garrison cinema lies at the heart of a large £25m retail and leisure development – Princes Gate. All theatres, cinemas, concert halls and similar premises must install appropriate firefighting equipment, and Empire Cinemas were determined that their new cinemas should have the most modern appliances fitted.

Safelincs supplied and installed P50 foam and P50 wet chemical extinguishers in the new cinema complexes. They were selected for their rugged construction and low maintenance costs. Unlike conventional extinguishers P50s do not require an annual service by an external engineer; a simple check can be undertaken each year by one of the cinema’s staff, which is where the savings are made. The kitemarked P50 extinguishers are guaranteed for ten years after which they can be refilled and used for another ten years.

In the foam version the Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) enables the formation of a film capable of spreading on the surface of burning fuels, which prevents vapour production and seals the surface from oxygen. It will extinguish class A fires (solids such as paper, wood, plastic etc.) and class B fires (flammable liquids such as paraffin, petrol, oil etc.). It has also passed the requirements of EN3 for the suitability of being used on live electrical equipment.

The P50 wet chemical appliance is an F-Class extinguisher especially designed to tackle cooking fat fires. It is also suitable to be used on live electrical equipment.

The new Empire cinemas have the latest appliances installed and routine annual checks can be carried out without any operational disruption, or incurring the cost of bringing in an external engineer.

When the fire extinguishers in the all the other cinemas come up for renewal, it is intended to replace them with P50s.

"Safelincs were an easy company to do business with," commented Steve Clode, Facilities Manager, Empire Cinemas. “The solution they have provided gives us the very latest in fire extinguisher technology, whilst enabling us to achieve significant cost savings over the coming years."