Right here’s the technique behind Shaw Theatres’ 90-year run
It’s straightforward to conclude that Singapore’s cinema scene is in decline.
In any case, cinemas have been downsizing and shutting in recent times, from fan-favourite indie cinema The Projector to the shuttering of Cathay Cineplexes after 86 years of operation.
Information from the Singapore Division of Statistics additionally exhibits that cinema attendance has greater than halved over the previous decade, falling from over 20 million visits to fewer than 10 million.
However there’s one native model that’s managed to carry its floor by means of the tumultuous years of pandemic lockdowns, Hollywood strikes, and the rise of streaming—and that’s Shaw Theatres.
We spoke with Mark Shaw, Director of Shaw Organisation, in regards to the cinema chain’s playbook for staying related during the last 90 years and what it truly takes to outlive Singapore’s evolving but brutal cinema scene.
Cinema’s tumultuous years
For many years, in the event you wished to catch the most recent film, you went to the cinema.
The pandemic basically modified that.
Streaming platforms, already rising earlier than COVID-19, grew to become the default leisure alternative in a single day as audiences have been confined at residence as a result of lockdown restrictions. So when cinemas reopened, they confronted a special sort of viewers, one accustomed to the comfort of watching no matter they wished, each time they wished, with out leaving the sofa.
Simply because the trade was starting to get better, the 2023 strikes by the Writers Guild of America and Display screen Actors Guild disrupted Hollywood’s pipeline of blockbusters, delaying the cinema trade’s restoration again by one other yr, and there’s no doubt that the consequences rippled all the best way to Singapore.
“The trade wants a relentless lineup of high quality content material to totally get better, and we’re solely now discovering how tastes are altering,” Mark stated.
Even so, he believes the worst is behind them. For the reason that Hollywood strikes ended and pandemic restrictions have been lifted, cinema attendance has been steadily enhancing.
Some movies, he added, proceed to show why cinemas stay related. Titles shot particularly for IMAX—reminiscent of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey—supply an expertise that merely can’t be replicated at residence.
“Cinema is an expertise that you just share with family and friends, and is one thing that may solely be really skilled on the Large Display screen,” Mark stated.
How Shaw held its floor
Whereas different cinema operators shrank their footprints over time, Shaw has stayed remarkably constant. At this time, it nonetheless operates eight retailers throughout Singapore, and its flagship at Shaw Home continues to face prominently alongside Orchard Street.
Slightly than pursuing aggressive growth, the corporate has targeted on reinvesting in its current cinemas and giving audiences causes to maintain coming again.
One in every of its largest bets got here in 2011, when Shaw grew to become the primary operator to introduce IMAX to Singapore at its Lido flagship.
In response to Mark, IMAX screenings have persistently outperformed common halls, with tickets usually promoting out nicely forward of normal screenings. At this time, Shaw operates 5 IMAX theatres, every constructed to fulfill the format’s strict specs for display dimension and auditorium design.
However IMAX wasn’t the corporate’s solely funding. Over time, Shaw has continued experimenting with totally different cinema ideas tailor-made to totally different audiences.
The premiere idea, which mixes in-theatre eating with a extra premium seat, launched in 2010 and first opened on the NEX outlet in Feb 2011. For greater than a decade, it remained a single-location providing, for the reason that kitchen infrastructure required for in-cinema eating meant it couldn’t merely be rolled out in every single place.
Lumiere, which debuted at Jewel Changi Airport and Paya Lebar Quarter in 2019, was designed as a center floor, providing the consolation of premium seating with out the complete eating expertise.
That very same yr, Shaw additionally launched Dreamers at Jewel: Singapore’s first and solely cinema idea designed particularly for households with younger youngsters. That includes decrease seats and extra spacious layouts, the idea goals to make moviegoing extra snug for each mother and father and their youngsters.
“We have a look at our information, and we hearken to our patrons’ suggestions,” Mark stated, explaining how Shaw develops new ideas.
Shaw has additionally observed altering tastes past the cinema expertise itself.
Demand for various content material has grown considerably in recent times. Anime screenings, which have been comparatively advert hoc earlier than COVID-19, have turn out to be a a lot larger a part of Shaw’s programming, rising from six titles in 2023 to 11 in 2024.
In the meantime, particular fan occasions, from Ok-pop live performance movies to anniversary screenings of cult classics, routinely promote out in beneath quarter-hour, he added.
The shift has modified how Shaw programmes its screens. Slightly than relying solely on Hollywood’s launch calendar, it has more and more curated content material for area of interest communities, giving audiences extra causes to go to the cinema past the most recent blockbuster.
The Lido revamp
The clearest expression of that technique is Shaw’s flagship Lido outlet on Orchard Street, which has undergone a serious transformation over the previous two years.
As the primary Shaw location to introduce IMAX in 2011, Lido has lengthy served as the corporate’s flagship. And in keeping with Mark, that isn’t altering anytime quickly.
“Lido is our flagship venue, and there’ll all the time be an emphasis on this location. We are going to proceed to spend money on Lido with each bell and whistle that now we have to supply.
The newest section of funding noticed the addition of one other premiere corridor — Shaw’s most premium cinema expertise — and a Dreamers corridor in March 2026, alongside Lumiere Grand, which opened a month earlier in February.
However maybe the largest change isn’t contained in the cinema corridor in any respect.
In Apr 2026, Shaw launched Centro, a multi-concept eating vacation spot that goals to rework Lido from someplace folks merely watch a movie into a spot the place they spend a complete night.
Slightly than growing the ideas in-house, Shaw partnered with Stephanie Hancock and Man Wachs, co-founders of Wild Honey, drawing on their expertise in constructing one among Singapore’s well-known café-restaurant manufacturers.
“Partnering with them permits us to create one thing credible, enduring and well-executed from day one,” Mark stated. “It’s very a lot a collaborative method—they’ve the experience to create an F&B model from scratch whereas we offer the launching pad, places, infrastructure, and core assist.”
The collaboration resulted in 4 eating ideas designed to enrich, quite than compete with, the cinema expertise. The purpose is to encourage friends to reach earlier than their film, keep after it, or just go to Centro with out watching a movie in any respect.
“Centro is open to everybody, not simply moviegoers,” Mark famous. “It’s a idea that we thought may add to the concept that going to the cinema is an evening or day trip.”
One dimension doesn’t match all
The rollout of Centro additionally displays how Shaw approaches its totally different places: quite than replicating the identical ideas in every single place, it tailors every cinema to the viewers it serves.
Lido, located within the coronary heart of Orchard Street, attracts workplace employees, vacationers, and customers in search of a whole evening out. There, the complete Centro expertise, comprising an espresso bar, cocktail bar, eating room, and grab-and-go idea, matches naturally alongside its premium cinema choices.
The latest addition to the Centro household is at Shaw’s Jem outlet in Jurong, the place a Centro Gelato & Dessert Bar opened in Jun 2026. Paired with Dreamers halls for fogeys with younger youngsters, the idea is tailor-made to Jem’s family-oriented demographic quite than replicating the complete Lido expertise.
For moviegoers looking for one thing between a normal corridor and the premiere expertise, Shaw’s IMAX, Lumiere and Lumiere Grand (Lido unique) halls throughout the nation supply extra consolation choices, from superior sound and viewing expertise, to premium seating in a extra intimate setting.
“Every location serves a special viewers and context,” Mark defined. “Slightly than making use of a one-size-fits-all mannequin, we consider in tailoring ideas to go well with the setting and demographic.”
Giving S’poreans a cause to get out of their dwelling rooms
Shaw is trying to enhance its premium halls footprint to make up 40% to 50% of capability at every of its places, with the precise mixture of ideas reflecting the demographics of every neighbourhood.
Common halls will nonetheless stay a core providing of Shaw’s, with pupil and senior reductions remaining, and the group sees itself as serving all segments of the market.
However Shaw’s long-term technique is clear in its deliberate investments.
Mark needs to make every Shaw outlet a one-stop vacation spot for eating and leisure, with Shaw Theatres Lido serving because the blueprint for what the remainder of the community may ultimately appear to be.
Getting there received’t be fast. Infrastructure funding is dear, and renovations can solely be carried out periodically, which is why Mark harassed that it issues to constantly consider who the patrons are and what they really want, quite than renovating for its personal sake.
Whereas patrons go to cinemas much less, they’re prepared to spend extra in the event that they discover the expertise worthwhile. Wanting on the information, this displays an viewers that hasn’t deserted cinema however has raised the bar for what justifies a visit to the cinema.
“The position of cinema is not simply to display movies, however to create moments, whether or not by means of storytelling, hospitality, or neighborhood,” Mark mirrored. “That’s the place we see the long run.”
“We consider cinema is usually a worthwhile enterprise, and our purpose is to offer all our patrons a cause to get out of their lounge and watch a film, and we purpose to entertain them for a very long time to come back.”
Study extra about Shaw Theatres right here.
Learn different articles we’ve written on Singaporean companies right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Status On-line/ Shaw Theatres
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