The Commerce Commission has received an application from Hoyts Corporation Holdings (NZ) Limited (Hoyts NZ) seeking clearance to acquire the film exhibition business assets of the Berkeley Cinema Group (Berkeley).

Hoyts NZ is ultimately 100 per cent owned by Hoyts Group Holdings LLC, USA. Through its subsidiaries, Hoyts NZ is involved in operating cinemas for film exhibition, cinema advertising and film distribution in New Zealand. This includes the operation of two cinemas in the Auckland region (Wairau Park and Sylvia Park), with a combined total of 18 screens.

The Berkeley film exhibition business, which is 100 per cent owned by Everard Entertainment Limited, comprises four cinema complexes in the Auckland region. Those cinemas are located at Mission Bay, Takapuna, Botany Downs and the Hibiscus Coast, and have a combined total of 21 screens.

In considering the application, the Commission's role is to determine whether the acquisition has the effect of substantially lessening competition in a market.

A public version of the application will be available shortly on the Commission's website www.comcom.govt.nz under Clearances Registers.