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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask them to move and tidy up?

22 replies

GarrulousGrimoire · 22/02/2017 22:10

Huge risk of the other party being on here yet I give not a fuck Especially as I genuinely want to know if IWBU.

Eldest DD (7) wanted to go watch Sing today so I booked seats for me, her and 2 other DC aged 4 & 2. Booked premium seats and selected specific ones in a row on the end so that:

we were all together as its busy at 1/2 term
I was on an end not to disturb anyone for the inevitable wee break for the 4yo
there was space for 2yo to sit on me if she got fussy

Got there and there were 3 kids sat in 3 of the seats and a woman with her toddler on the other .

Asked them to move turns out the 3 kids were with parents sat in front of them, they did move. The woman with toddler didn't, asked her again and she said "I didn't know you could book", I said "well yes you have to and I did" to which in fairness she then moved with no complaint.

By this time my kids were fussing but they couldn't sit down as the seats were covered in crisps and empty packets! So I said to the parents of the kids "sorry but do you mind tidying so we can sit?"

I didn't want to clean some other kids trash off my booked seats! The mother did but the dad turned round and basically stared me out the entire time while I tried to wrangle the 2 youngest.

They then took their seats and I heard them muttering about me and "God just when the film starts too" well yes I BOOKED and TIMED IT so the DC wouldn't get bored!

Their youngest DC then got loud half way through the show and they had to go get him so I felt guilty as they kept having to check back to see if they were behaving, but I booked! So why did I feel guilty for making them move/tidy

OP posts:

NancyDonahue · 22/02/2017 22:43

YWNBU so don't feel guilty. They were your seats. It sounds like you were polite. And any decent person would have quickly brushed the crumbs off. Surely when they paid they would have had seat numbers on their tickets? There's only one tiny old cinema that I know if around here that is 'sit anywhere'.

I always book certain seats - I get a bit claustrophobic in the huge cinemas so make sure I'm close to the exit.

Original poster

GarrulousGrimoire · 22/02/2017 23:09

I thought you had to book too, do you think they were chancing it on the premium seats then?

OP posts:

RhodaBorrocks · 22/02/2017 23:15

They were totally chancing it OP.

Basically, because you didn't arrive until the last minute, they'd assumed the seats were free so let the kids sit there. The fact that they then allowed the kids to sit somewhere else away from them speaks volumes.

Then they were narked that you turned up at the last minute. Which is not your fault - I do this too with DS who is older but has ASD.

Don't sweat it. They were being entitled.

emmyrose2000 · 23/02/2017 02:14

The other people were 100% wrong. And yes, they should've cleaned up their mess - or better yet, not made it in the first place.

MakeItStopNeville · 23/02/2017 02:18

This drives me mad. Our local cinema is fully allocated seated but still, every single time, someone's sat dropping popcorn all over my seat!

Iflyaway · 23/02/2017 02:20

Well, I wouldn't even bother with taking a 2 and 4 year old to a theatre/cinema never heard of Sing anyway

It will ALWAYS be a pain. Whoever is seated wherever.

Hotfuzzed · 23/02/2017 02:36

It really annoys me when people sit in premium seats who definitely haven't paid for them. The other week a couple with two kids were sitting next to us at the cinema and refused to move when the people who had actually paid for the premium seats turned up simply saying 'well our tickets don't have numbers on so we can sit where-ever'. So rude.

I'm certain they used to check that people weren't sitting in premium who had paid for standard but don't seem to anymore.

user1477282676 · 23/02/2017 03:26

YANBU of course but unless you're American, it's not, "She wanted to go watch Sing", but "She wanted to go and watch sing" and it's not "and they had to go get him" but "and they had to go and get him"

badhotfanny · 23/02/2017 05:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Graphista · 23/02/2017 05:43

This is why I love my local independant cinema. They'd have been told by usher to tidy mess and that if they couldn't as a family all sit together they needed one adult with each grouping so if there were 3 dc one parent with 2 one with one dc

user1477282676 · 23/02/2017 05:48

Fanny fuck off yourself.

LotsOfAxolotlsAndOcelots · 23/02/2017 06:05

User get tae fuck

user1477282676 · 23/02/2017 06:06

Ocelot you too!

merrymouse · 23/02/2017 06:08

This has happened to me a few times, (book premium seats, people sitting in them) and seats covered In food.

They were completely in the wrong, but if people start arguing the toss I think it's easier to get a member of staff. The cinema sold you a particular seat and they need to provide it.

greenworm · 23/02/2017 06:51

User - in your post you need to put a comma before "but". You're using it to connect two independent clauses. HTH!

RebootYourEngine · 23/02/2017 07:00

YWNBU

Fly What is wrong with taking a 2 and 4 yr old to the cinema?

AlmostAJillSandwich · 23/02/2017 07:43

The cinema staff don't actually have any power/authority to move people sat in the wrong seats though. They can request they move but they cannot physically force them. They can ask them to leave/call security, but again cannot use physical force. It disrupts everyone, and stubborn entitled people are going to do whatever they want.

Battytwatty · 23/02/2017 08:13

USER , you did the same on a thread I was reading the other day. You got told to pack it in then too!

merrymouse · 23/02/2017 08:17

The cinema staff don't actually have any power/authority to move people sat in the wrong seats though.

The cinema staff can ask anyone to leave, whether they are being disruptive or because they don't have tickets.

They might have to resort to calling the police in an extreme situation, but that would be unlikely. Usually people just politely move when asked.

When a cinema sells a specific seat they need to provide that seat or refund the customer.

From a customer service point of view, the cinema are selling more expensive seats on the basis that they provide a better experience.

If that experience is having to fight for your seat and sit in a pile of crisps it's a bit rubbish and customers should complain.

user1477282676 · 23/02/2017 08:29

Green thank you!

Soubriquet · 23/02/2017 08:32

Pack it in user

No one likes a grammar twat

Yanbu OP

They were pushing their luck

Original poster

GarrulousGrimoire · 23/02/2017 08:44

Well that livened up when I went to bed!

To be fair to user I'm a bit of a grammar twat too so should the thoroughly ashamed of myself. I think I'll get over it though.

On the age of the kids - would never have taken the other two so young but my youngest is really good at the cinema, she's watched about 5 films end to end now. Depends on the kid I guess!

I knew they were chancing their arm, found it very unusual as I know you've had to book and pay extra for ages Can't believe they were slating me then!

OP posts:

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