Cinema-goers have reacted angrily against the potential sale of the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse, after the provisional findings of the Competition Commission were published last month. Campaigners have voiced concerns about the loss to the "cultural landscape" of the city if the boutique cinema were to close.

The Cineworld Group plc acquired the Arts Picturehouse last December, leading to fears that the purchase would result in higher ticket prices due to loss of competition in the area. The group also own the Cineworld cinema at Cambridge Leisure Park in Clifton Way.

The Office of Fair Trading requested the Competition Commission look into the matter further, culminating in a provisional decision that Cineworld would need to sell or close one of its cinemas in the areas of Aberdeen, Bury St. Edmunds, and Cambridge. The final decision is expected to be made in October.

The petition, which now has over 5,000 signatures, counters these claims by stating that Cineworld and the Picturehouse are aimed at different audiences, and are subsequently not monopolising any one demographic. Cineworld said at the time of the purchase that the purpose for buying the Picturehouse was to reach out to a broader cinematic audience.

The Picturehouse is renowned for its screening of more ‘artsy’ films, including Silver Screen classics along with foreign language films. The cinema also hosts ‘Big Scream’ evenings, catering to parents with infants, and even autism-friendly showings. The petition affirms that larger cinematic chains, such as Cineworld, rarely provide these genres and services.

In addition to the petition, MP Julian Huppert has also joined the fight to save the Picturehouse, writing directly to the Competition Commission to criticise their provisional decision.

He wrote: “Generations of Cambridge residents and students, including myself, have greatly valued the Picturehouse because it offers independent, art-house and foreign language films that are not often found in the programmes of the larger cinemas. I am a huge fan of the Picturehouse and believe it would be a great loss to the city if it were changed or closed.”

Toby Miller, one of the petition founders, argued the Picturehouse serves a key role in Cambridge as the host of the annual film festival as well as the organiser of events, screenings, and smaller festivals that are absent in the larger cinematic chains.

The 33rd annual film festival, set to open later this month, will be attended by Stephen Hawking for the premier screening of the documentary about his life, Hawking.