Thankfully without closure in 1992 the Woolton cinema’s ownership changed hands to first time cinema owner David Wood, Son of Tony Wood and the grandson of merseyside cinema pioneer John F Wood (former owner of the Bedford chain of cinemas including their flagship cinema the Abbey Cinerama Wavertree).
The Woolton cinema once again flourished with a success in the 1990`s comparable to its earlier years in the heyday of the silver screen. Whatever the Woolton cinemas single screen lacked in immediate choice of films, it more than made up for with its friendly charm and character, as many cinemagoers would now wait to see the film of their choice at the Woolton rather than see it earlier at a multi screen cinema. By the turn of the millennium the Woolton cinema had gained the respect and admiration of cinemagoers from across the Merseyside area, Ironically with many film fans themselves turning their back on the mundane and clinical modernistic experience offered them by the multiplex cinema in favour of a quaint old style family cinema with family traditions.
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Constantly striving to add to the cinematic experience the Woolton cinema’s ground breaking success in the 90`s enabled further investment which included a new Dts digital surround sound system, A full installation of new digital speakers and sub-woofer, high definition projection lens equipment, extensive electrical rewiring, new velvet drapes and a full refurbishment of the luxury Pullman seats. By 2005 the foundations had been firmly laid for a bright and successful future.
Then came a sudden turn of misfortune first with the unexpected death of David Swindell the Chief projectionist and backbone of the cinema for almost 40yrs followed shortly after by the death of cinema owner David Wood.The Cinemas future was now once more put into doubt and realised when the owners remaining family announced their intentions to close the cinema and sell off the building due to their bereavement. Despite all progress for the second time in little over a decade the staff and local community were once more in despair at the impending loss of the Woolton cinema.              

The final curtain under the ownership of The Wood family came less than six weeks after the announced closure and the Woolton cinema closed on the 5th of September 2006 with the film Pirates of the Caribbean 2.

Both before and after the closure campaigns including our own original staff website were working around the clock. to save the cinema attracting spin off websites, local media attention and gathering much public support. (One such event also resulted in the remaining members of John Lennons former Woolton band the Quarrymen reforming to offer their support). After a further four months of closed doors and an uncertain future the sale of the Woolton cinema was completed, To the delight of all concerned a anonymous Merseyside consortium of businessmen announced their intention to reopen the cinema and take on the. As of March 2007 against all the odds and all current cinema trends the Woolton cinema regained its status as the oldest surviving independant cinema on Merseyside.

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