HMV launches first in store cinema

HMV says more cinemas will follow if they prove a success

HMV is opening its first in store cinema in London, causing some to question what this means for the future of high street music retailers.

The music store is launching a three-screen digital cinema in its Wimbledon branch in collaboration with independent cinema chain Curzon.

With the disappearance of stores like Zavvi and Woolworths, HMV is one of the few places you can still buy music on the high street.

The chain has already had to branch out into selling things like DVDs and video games to help stay afloat, thanks to the fact that high street music stores are losing millions to online downloads.

HMV Chief Executive Simon Fox explained: "Our mix of sales now is about a quarter music, a quarter is computer games and half is DVD.

"Music has declined, as you'd expect. One of the reasons why we are putting cinemas into our stores is because we know the brand has to stretch, it has to stretch beyond the traditional music store into new areas."

'Last man standing'

"We are described as the last man standing on the high street and indeed we are, in terms of being the last entertainment specialist."

However Fox is keen to deny that HMV is struggling, saying that 30 new stores have opened this year and 10 temporary stores are planned in the run up to Christmas.

Joe Mount from electro pop band Metronomy told Newsbeat why he thinks HMV has made the move.

"People don't think music is worth any money.

"That's why HMV's opening cinemas and that's why Virgin tried to rebrand itself as like a hang-out spot and all that phone stuff," he said.

However, he doesn't blame music retailers for moving from music to movies and thinks the problem runs deeper.

'Crippling the industry'

He said: "You need to educate the people who think music is worth nothing, you have to teach them that it is worth something because otherwise they're accidentally crippling the whole music industry.

"Young people have to be taught that music is actually worth money otherwise you're just going to lose shops, and you're going to lose record labels and you're going to lose new bands."

Depending on the success of the first in store cinema HMV say more could follow.

The space will come from unused areas like basements but Fox admits that in the future there might be more space available when product sales change.

It remains to be seen whether this means that music will end up making room for movies.

Wimbledon HMV's screens have between 70 and 103 seats and will start by showing films like The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus and The Fantastic Mr Fox.