Cineworld II - The Open Reply

Dear Mr. Knight,

Thank you for the email and I will try to address all your points.

UGC Cinema policy was never to allow any outside food in any auditoria. Since the company policy was not to post signs to this effect and to avoid confronting customers with policy, the cinemas were treated by many as picnic grounds with dangerous and sloppy foods being brought in on a regular basis. This was not the case at any other cinema chain.

To give you two key examples. UGC Cinemas had three times the number of slip and fall incidents than other cinemas and we were constantly replacing customer clothing damaged as a result of people sitting on pizzas, fried chicken, burgers, chips and fruit in the dark environment. Forgetting profits for a moment, those two elements alone cry out for a change in procedure, if not policy.

Ironically, I think most Unlimited Card holders would be offended if we warned them not to bring such items in. Most card holders have purchased this membership so they can see films in a clean and safe environment and many have voiced their opinion that no food should be admitted or sold at all. Neither UGC or Cineworld could stay in business that way.

Having stated this, we do not support or condone 100% searches (our Stevenage location is an exception) nor are we concerned with small snack items that people often carry with them at all times. I know many of our cinemas WILL hold items (within reason) until after the film. You did not mention which site subjected you to this "search" but I am assuming Eastbourne, due to the local paper's focus on this subject after one unfortunate recent event there. [Greg: details]

It is not our policy or intention to conduct Airport style checks but rather to let movie-goers know that some items are not suitable in a cinema. NO OUTSIDE FOOD signs are up at most cinemas at the ticket tearing point and refunds are always granted to anyone requesting one before the film starts.

Unlimited Cards will go on sale thirteen new Cineworld locations in March. We are committed to this program and although it does not provide immediate profits, it does promote movie-going and particularly helps the least mainstream ones. There are logistics in implementing these card sales that have slowed the program down. This does not imply any lack of commitment to it.

I hope I have helped explain our position further. I can assure you that our aim is to return our sites to what they were intended to be. A clean, safe, comfortable, and quiet big screen refuge of film where snacks are just an economic sideline. I think Unlimited Card holders in particular will appreciate this.

Regards,

Al Alvarez
V.P. of Operations

So, to paraphrase, it's really for our own good, we should be thankful for the new policy, sorry for any teething problems. Call me shallow, but I was just happy to get a response. That it was pertinent and polite was just a bonus. I don't necessarily buy any of it, but it's all plausible enough to have merit. I guess time will tell.

Update
According to the same Al Alvarez in this article, it's mostly about keeping the food eaten in the cinemas 'suitable', i.e. not messy enough to result in damage claims. So let's see what happens when I try to take in exactly the same snacks that they sell. They can't stop me on the basis of its unsuitability, can they now?