Few things stir nostalgia in Singapore quite like the final flicker of a cinema screen that has been around for nearly nine decades. Cathay Cineplexes, which opened its Century Square outlet in November 2023, closed its last four doors in September 2025 after entering voluntary liquidation.

4 related posts

Years in operation: 87 ·
Final outlets closed: 4 ·
Century Square opened: 21 Nov 2023 ·
Closure date: September 2025

Quick snapshot

1Closure Reasons
2Replacement Tenants
3Legacy
4Location Note
  • The Cathay mall is at 2 Handy Road (Wikipedia (landmark article)).
  • Cathay Cineplex Century Square was in Tampines (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).

Six key facts tell the story of Cathay’s decline, from founding to final closure.

Label Value
Founded 1937
Final closure date September 2025
Number of final outlets 4
Century Square outlet opened 21 Nov 2023
Owner (at closure) mm2 Asia Ltd
Liquidation status Voluntary liquidation announced

Why is Cathay cinema closing?

Financial difficulties and voluntary liquidation

  • Cathay Cineplexes received statutory demands from landlord Frasers Centrepoint Trust for its Century Square and Causeway Point outlets on 15 Jul 2025, covering more than S$3.3 million in owed rent (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • Earlier, in January 2025, a demand for about S$2.7 million had been issued for the same outlets (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • On 1 Sep 2025, mm2 Asia confirmed that Cathay Cineplexes would undergo creditors’ voluntary liquidation after failed negotiations and a board determination that continuing operations was no longer feasible (CNA (Singapore broadcaster)).

Timeline of the final closures

  • West Mall outlet closed in February 2025 due to lease expiry (Wikipedia (historical reference)).
  • Jem outlet closed on 27 Mar 2025 after the landlord terminated its lease (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • By the time of the shutdown, the remaining four locations were Causeway Point, Century Square, Downtown East and 321 Clementi (Instagram (mm2 Asia statement)).
  • In the three years leading up to September 2025, six outlets had closed (Dr Wealth (personal finance blog)).
The upshot

Cathay’s collapse shows that even an 87-year legacy can’t survive when rental pressure and streaming competition converge. The chain’s landlord, Frasers Centrepoint Trust, had to enforce statutory demands because the cinema was simply unable to pay.

The pattern is clear: legacy brands need to adapt or vanish in the face of rising costs and shifting consumer habits.

Frasers Centrepoint Trust’s statutory demands forced Cathay into liquidation, ending 87 years of cinema history in Singapore.

The chain’s shutdown underscores the pressure on Singapore cinemas from streaming and shifting consumer behavior (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).

What will replace Cathay Cineplex?

New cinema tenants at Century Square and other malls

  • According to Frasers Centrepoint Trust’s latest report, new cinema tenants have replaced Cathay at Century Square and other locations, helping push FCT’s occupancy to 99.9% (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • The exact name of the new operator at Century Square was not disclosed in the available data, but the space was filled quickly after Cathay vacated.

Impact on mall occupancy

  • The closure freed up approximately 1,200 square metres of prime retail space at Century Square alone, which was quickly absorbed by the new tenant (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • FCT’s portfolio occupancy rose from 98.5% to 99.9% after the replacements were completed.
The catch

Replacing a cinema giant is easy; replacing the nostalgia it carried is not. While occupancy numbers look healthy, the cultural void left by Cathay’s departure may not be filled by any single tenant.

What this means: mall operators can pivot quickly, but the emotional connection that a heritage brand holds is irreplaceable.

The rapid re-leasing shows that mall operators are adept at pivoting, but it also raises a question: can any cinema chain truly compete with streaming at home?

Where is The Cathay Shopping mall?

Location of The Cathay at 2 Handy Road

  • The Cathay shopping mall is located at 2 Handy Road, Singapore, near Dhoby Ghaut MRT station (Wikipedia (landmark article)).
  • This is the heritage site that housed the original Cathay cinema from 1939 until it ceased operations in June 2022 as part of a cost-rationalisation process (YouTube (CNA documentary segment)).

Distinction between The Cathay mall and Cathay Cineplex Century Square

  • Cathay Cineplex Century Square was located within Century Square shopping mall in Tampines, not at The Cathay building (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • Century Square had previously been operated by Shaw Theatres (1995–2017) as Century Cineplex, then Filmgarde (June 2018–24 April 2022) before Cathay took over (Wikipedia (historical reference)).

The difference confuses many visitors: The Cathay is a mall with a cinema that’s now closed; Cathay Cineplex Century Square was a separate cinema in Tampines that shut in 2025. For more on Singapore retail evolution, see Nee Soon Central CC: Singapore’s First Mall-Based Community Centre.

Who is the owner of Cathay cinema?

Ownership history: from Loke Wan Tho to mm2 Asia Ltd

  • Cathay Cineplexes was originally founded by Loke Wan Tho in 1937 (Wikipedia (historical reference)).
  • The chain was later acquired by Malaysian company mm2 Asia Ltd, which owned it at the time of the 2025 liquidation (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).

Current ownership under mm2 Asia Ltd

  • mm2 Asia Ltd is a Malaysian media and entertainment firm listed on the Singapore Exchange (Wikipedia (corporate profile)).
  • mm2 Asia said the liquidation followed failed negotiations with creditors and a board determination that it was no longer feasible to continue operations (CNA (Singapore broadcaster)).

The ownership shift from a founding family to a publicly held media group underscores how the cinema business has struggled to adapt to digital disruption.

“The board determined that it was no longer feasible to continue operations, given the financial position.”

— mm2 Asia statement

“The new cinema tenants have allowed us to maintain high occupancy across our portfolio.”

— Frasers Centrepoint Trust spokesperson

What is the legacy of Cathay Cineplexes in Singapore?

87-year history from 1937 to 2025

  • Cathay operated for 87 years, making it one of Singapore’s oldest operating cinema chains before liquidation (Wikipedia (historical reference)).
  • It was a pioneer in Singapore’s cinema industry, introducing modern multiplexes and bringing Hollywood blockbusters to local audiences (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).

Cultural significance and pioneering role

  • The Cathay building at Handy Road was gazetted as a conserved building in 2003 for its architectural and historical importance (Wikipedia (landmark article)).
  • Despite the closure, the brand remains a touchstone for Singaporeans who grew up watching movies there.

The implication: the 87-year legacy is now a memory, but the conserved building ensures the physical landmark endures.

Confirmed facts

  • Cathay Cineplexes closed all remaining outlets in September 2025 (CNA (Singapore broadcaster)).
  • Voluntary liquidation was announced on 1 Sep 2025 (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • Century Square outlet opened on 21 Nov 2023 (Wikipedia (historical reference)).
  • New cinema tenants replaced Cathay at Century Square (per FCT report) (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).

What’s unclear

  • Exact name of the new cinema tenant at Century Square (not disclosed).
  • Future of the Cathay brand or any potential revival after liquidation.
  • Whether mm2 Asia will retain any cinema operations outside Singapore.
  • Whether the liquidation proceedings will affect mm2 Asia’s other businesses (not confirmed).

For more on retail closures in Singapore, see Brianna Wong and The Closet Lover Closure Story.

Timeline signal

  • 1937 – Cathay cinema founded by Loke Wan Tho (Wikipedia (historical reference)).
  • 21 Nov 2023 – Cathay Cineplex Century Square opens (The Business Times (Singapore business daily)).
  • September 2025 – Final four outlets close; voluntary liquidation entered (CNA (Singapore broadcaster)).

For Singapore mall operators, the lesson is clear: cinema leases must adapt to streaming trends, or risk watching another icon fade to black. Frasers Centrepoint Trust already saw the need to replace Cathay, but the 87-year legacy left behind cannot be replicated.

Additional sources

facebook.com, mothership.sg

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Frequently asked questions

When did Cathay Century Square open?

Cathay Century Square opened on 21 November 2023. (Wikipedia (historical reference))

How many Cathay outlets existed before the closure?

Before the September 2025 liquidation, Cathay Cineplexes had four remaining outlets: Causeway Point, Century Square, Downtown East and 321 Clementi. Earlier, a total of six outlets had closed over the previous three years. (Instagram (mm2 Asia statement))

Will Cathay Cineplexes ever reopen?

As of September 2025, Cathay Cineplexes is undergoing creditors’ voluntary liquidation. There has been no announcement of any revival plan. The brand’s return appears unlikely unless a new investor steps in. (CNA (Singapore broadcaster))

What is the contact number for Cathay Century Square?

Cathay Century Square is now permanently closed. Contact information is no longer active. For enquiries about the replacement cinema at Century Square, please contact the mall management. (The Business Times (Singapore business daily))

Where can I buy tickets for Cathay Century Square showtimes?

Cathay Century Square is now closed. Showtime listings are no longer available. You can check the new cinema operator at Century Square for current movie schedules. (The Business Times (Singapore business daily))

What is the difference between The Cathay mall and Cathay Century Square?

The Cathay is a shopping mall at 2 Handy Road, near Dhoby Ghaut, which previously housed a Cathay cinema (closed June 2022). Cathay Century Square was a separate cinema inside Century Square mall in Tampines, which closed in September 2025. (Wikipedia (landmark article))