National cinema weekend boosts footfall leisure destination GRID Braehead

Weekend footfall increased by 15.8% as the nationwide cinema initiative encouraged audiences to the big screen

National Cinema Weekend delivered a strong uplift in footfall at GRID Braehead, a multi-format destination combining experiential leisure, dining, family entertainment and an ODEON cinema, home to one of the area’s standout IMAX screens. The results demonstrate the power of cinema-led initiatives to drive visits to mixed-use destinations.

Taking place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, the first UK-wide National Cinema Weekend saw more than 560 participating cinemas offer £4 tickets to all screenings.

Across the weekend, footfall at GRID increased by 15.8% compared with the previous week and 7.7% year on year. The destination also welcomed 11% more visitors than during a typical 2026 weekend without a major film opening.

Sunday delivered the strongest year-on-year performance, with footfall increasing by 12.3% and almost matching Saturday’s visitor levels. Saturday also recorded a 3.9% year-on-year increase, with particularly strong trading periods at lunchtime and during the evening. Footfall between 12pm and 1pm was 28% higher than the same period last year, while visits between 7pm and 10pm increased by 15%.

Many of GRID’s F&B, leisure and retail offerings benefited from the increased footfall as a direct result from National Cinema Weekend, highlighting positive sales performance and a great atmosphere within the centre.

The weekend’s performance compares favourably with the opening weekends of some of 2026’s biggest cinema releases. Spider-Man: Brand New Day delivered footfall 38% above a typical GRID weekend, followed by The Devil Wears Prada 2 at 14% and Wuthering Heights at 13%. National Cinema Weekend followed closely behind at 11%, despite not being anchored by a major new release.

The results underline the wider role cinema can play within mixed-use destinations. While blockbuster releases provide significant individual peaks, National Cinema Weekend demonstrates that collective industry initiatives can create a compelling reason to visit, helping landlords and occupiers attract new audiences and generate opportunities for cross-visitation across leisure, food, drink and retail operators.

Bruce Harley, Manager at GRID Braehead, said: “The performance of National Cinema Weekend demonstrates that cinema’s ability to drive visits extends well beyond major blockbuster releases. To see the weekend perform 11% ahead of a typical weekend at GRID, without one major film acting as the primary draw, is a particularly positive result.

“The strength of Sunday and the clear peaks around lunchtime and the evening also show how cinema visits can complement other parts of a destination. At GRID, visitors can build a wider experience around their film by combining it with food, activities and retail, helping to increase dwell time and create benefits for operators across the destination.

“Shared cultural moments and industry-wide initiatives give audiences another reason to come together. For mixed-use destinations, the opportunity is to turn that initial cinema visit into a fuller day or evening out.”