An effort to reopen a former arthouse cinema in Galway has been abandoned, after a prospective operator withdrew from a deal with the city council, due to an increase in the projected costs involved.
It is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the Pálás cinema, which was built at a cost of €8.4 million to the taxpayer.
First proposed in 2004, it eventually opened in 2018, only to close seven years later, in February 2025.
Last year, Galway City Council, which owns the three-screen cinema, offered the building free of charge, on a long-term lease. The only stipulation was that it be used in a "manner compatible with the city's international reputation for culture and the arts".
After an expression of interest process, agreement was reached with a preferred operator on terms for the future use of the property last month.
But soon afterwards, the prospective operator withdrew from the project, because of the likely cost of works that would be needed to upgrade the premises for a "bespoke cinema experience".
The local authority said: "The primary factor in this decision was the projected cost of refurbishments the partner intended to undertake, driven by construction‑sector inflation and wider market uncertainty linked to ongoing international conditions."
The council has acknowledged the effort demonstrated during discussions on the proposed reopening.
It said it is now exploring temporary options to reopen the cinema on a short-term basis, such as during the Galway Film Fleadh in July.
Work on a longer-term solution is also to resume in light of the latest developments
