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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

High Court sanctions Cineworld Part 26A plans: landlords bound despite exclusion covenants; cross-class cram down; administration alternative; unsecured £1,000 floor; equity retained for new money

Practice notes
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Cineworld Cinemas Limited, together with three other group entities, pursued four Part 26A restructuring plans, with a convening hearing in August 2024 and a sanction hearing in September 2024. Headline points are set out below (capitalised expressions not explained here bear the meanings in the sanction judgment). This Deal Debrief sits within our Restructuring plans collection. For deeper analysis of 2023 RP metrics and commentary from recognised experts, consult Practice Note: Market Insights Trend Report—trends in Part 26A restructuring plans in 2023 [Archived].

Name of plan companies

Cine-UK Limited (CUKL), Cineworld Cinemas Limited (CWCL), Cineworld Cinema Properties Limited (CCPL) and Cineworld Estates Limited (CWEL) (collectively, the Plan Companies).

Industry sector

Entertainment/Cinemas.

Place of debtor’s incorporation and jurisdictional factors

All Companies were incorporated in England and Wales. The Plan Companies acted as guarantors of the Group’s principal financing arrangements.

Legal counsel involved

  • The Companies: Tom Smith KC, Henry Phillips and Annabelle Wang (instructed by Kirkland and Ellis LLP).
  • Dissenting landlords, UK Commercial Property Finance Holdings Limited (UKCP) and The Crown Estate Commissioners (the Crown Estate) (together, the Objectors): Ben Shaw KC (instructed by RLS Solicitors Limited and Cripps LLP).
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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

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