▁cin emas , ▁ 7 3 ▁screens . ▁ ▁U GC ▁UK ▁and ▁Ireland ▁U GC ▁was ▁formerly ▁also ▁a ▁leading ▁UK ▁cinema ▁owner ▁following ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁Richard ▁Br anson ' s ▁Virgin ▁Cinema ▁Group , ▁which ▁it ▁purchased ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁business ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Black stone ▁Group ▁and ▁joined ▁with ▁C ine - UK ▁to ▁trade ▁as ▁C ine world . ▁U GC ' s ▁chain ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁and ▁Ireland ▁consisted ▁of : ▁▁ ▁UK : ▁ 4 1 ▁cin emas , ▁ 3 9 1 ▁screens ; ▁ ▁Ireland : ▁ 1 ▁cinema , ▁ 1 7 ▁screens . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁C ine world ▁began ▁to ▁phase ▁out ▁the ▁U GC ▁brand , ▁replacing ▁it ▁with ▁its ▁own ▁C ine world ▁logo . ▁This ▁re brand ing ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁C ine world ▁has ▁retained ▁certain ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁U GC ▁offer , ▁including ▁the ▁Un limited ▁season ▁ticket , ▁originally ▁introduced ▁by ▁Virgin , ▁and ▁the ▁free ▁magazine ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁U GC ▁Fox ▁Distribution ▁— ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁with ▁ 2 0 th ▁Century ▁Fox ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁U GC ▁France ▁ ▁Category : Form er ▁cinema ▁ch ains ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁Category : Form er ▁cinema ▁ch ains ▁in ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland ▁Category : C in