An update has been issued regarding why The Gate has been closed since Thursday evening.
Diners and cinemagoers were among those who were evacuated from the venue on Thursday evening due to 'safety concerns'. Notices have remained fixed to the entrance of The Gate since approximately 10pm that evening informing the public that it is closed "until further notice" due to "unforeseen circumstances" and they are "working to restore business as usual".
People have been left wondering why the venue was suddenly evacuated and has remained closed. And today The Crown Estate, which has owned The Gate since 2012, issued an update on the reason behind the venue's closure.
The Crown Estate explained that the reason behind the temporary closure was "to enable the team to carry out further testing of the internal mechanisms that prevent the spread of a fire, to ensure these mechanisms meet the highest standard of fire safety." They added that they are "working to investigate this as swiftly as possible" and "remain in close dialogue with those affected and will be supporting everyone as we work to re-open as soon as it is safe and practical to do so."
On Monday evening The Gate issued an update announcing that The Gate and car park will remain temporarily closed. The Hustle, The Lofts and The Mayfair, which are the only venues not physically attached to The Gate, will remain open.
Cineworld also issued an update for it's customers on Monday evening, informing them that they had made the decision to cancel further screenings due to "no confirmed reopening date". The cinema had hoped to resume screenings on Wednesday, May 11, however it has now cancelled all shows for Wednesday and Thursday.
In a post on Facebook, Cineworld Newcastle upon Tyne said: "The Gate remains temporarily closed and the team there are working hard to ensure we can open as swiftly as possible.
"Unfortunately with no confirmed reopening date we have decided to cancel screenings that were planned for Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th May. Any tickets booked for showings on these dates will be automatically refunded.
"We hope to be able to announce a reopening date soon and in the meantime thank you for your patience and understanding and apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure.
"We really look forward to welcoming you back to the cinema soon!"
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