Protests prompt Phoenix Cinema to drop Curzon takeover

Planned move by one of UK’s oldest independent cinemas was opposed by thousands
One of the UK’s oldest independent cinemas has ditched plans to hand over control to a commercial operator following a backlash from thousands of supporters, including film directors and musicians.The Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley, north London, had been due to have its operations and programming taken over by the Curzon Cinema group, raising the possibility the venue would lose its “unique identi