The Port Hope Drive In — the longest continually operating drive-in theatre in Canada and one of the last two drive-ins in the greater Kawarthas region — has closed.
That’s the word from Justin Ashley, owner and operator of Oshawa collectibles business Fly By Nite, who posted on the drive-in’s Facebook page on Tuesday (October 3). Ashley says he is a friend of the owner, a former manager of the drive-in for almost 10 years, and responsible for creating the theatre’s website and Facebook page.
“Unfortunately the Port Hope Drive In has been forced to close due to several years of poor business,” Ashley writes.
The Port Hope Drive In was open over the summer, but stopped updating its website and Facebook page in late August. In September, Pete Fisher of Today’s Northumberland reported the drive-in had closed early for renovations.
In his Facebook post, Ashley attributes the downturn in business at the Port Hope Drive In to the impact of the pandemic, with lockdowns preventing drive-in theatres from operating and new movies being unavailable for entire seasons, combined with the increasing popularity of streaming platforms for in-home entertainment. He also blames the high cost of living and increased gas prices for reduced attendance each season.
“There was hope the business would recover, however it’s clear now that won’t be the case,” he writes. “Sales and attendance continued to worsen over the last few years to the point where there is no longer enough revenue to cover the basic costs of operation.”
**MAJOR UPDATE**
This is Justin, the owner and operator of Fly By Nite in Oshawa. I was the former manager of the Port…
Posted by Port Hope Drive In on Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Located on Theatre Road south of Highway 401 about halfway between Port Hope and Cobourg, the single-screen drive-in theatre opened in 1947, one year later after the Skyway Theatre in Stoney Creek, Canada’s very first drive-in theatre. The Skyway Theatre closed in 1975, making the Port Hope Drive In Canada’s oldest continually operating drive-in theatre — until now.
“I know this is not the news you wanted to read,” write Ashley, who says he is repurposing the drive-in’s Facebook page for his own company’s new events business. “It’s sad news for all. These are the unfortunate casualties from a nationwide recession.”
kawarthaNOW was unable to contact the current owner of the Port Hope Drive In to confirm the theatre’s closure or any future plans for the business or property.
