Cinema rules - junior films

[netherlee]

Hi everyone (under the weather just now but hope to get posting soon)

I was with a close friend in the neighbourhood yesterday who has a child with special needs though she is now 16 but mentally is about 8. For this reason alone she prefers the childrens kind of movies but they have found both cinemas near to them will not admit adults to their junior films if not accompanied by a child. At first it made me chuckle as it is the reverse of what we often hear, but it is a serious issue for people like this, as a chronological 16 yo and her mother would be too old. Is it really to say adults and children can't mix at all without tight regulation?

Out of good will I could persuade one of my DC of the "correct" age to go along with them but I don't want them doing that just for this reason unless they will actually enjoy the film too.

Is this sensible for a cinema?

It does seem a bit draconian. Perhaps they have had problems?

Its obviously a safety issue for children as some children go in on their own in small groups without a parent to look after them so I can understand where the cinema is coming from :)

But that aside is there anyway your friend can show proof of her daughters mental age? Blank out the personal bits and just leave the main point at hand showing. Or a doctors confirmation letter. Show it to the cinemas and see what they say?

And I don't think it is an isolated rule starfishmummy. It seems to happen at many cinemas, at least the big names like cineworld, empire etc. Shame for the young at heart adults, but a modicum of protection for those who want kids segregated for their own safety. My friend would be supervised by an adult as well.

Seems odd as adults pay more to put their bums on seats than kids, you'd think they'd be happy to have more adults in there!

I think if this were to happy to me I would make contact with the local cinema manager and ask for his discretion in letting the DD see kids films, explaining her situation.

Not heard of this before - I know lots of adults that went to see Toy Story 3 without kids in tow with no problems.

Also: is your friend able to get a cinema carer's card for her DD? I have one for my DS, it costs £5ish a year and I get in free any time I take him to the cinema. Google CEA card for more info.

I'm sure if you mention the disability discrimination act amendments of Oct 2004 where it says that all service providers must enable access to all service users they might think twice!

I must say i've never heard of this rule and to be honest find it quite ridiculous. I would think Cinemas are more likely to get disabled adults than pedophiles who are likely to abuse a bunch of kids in there alone in their junior films anyway, just guessing.

I'd contact their head office as quite often the HO will be more approachable than some of these jumped up little jobs worths- in my experience anyway- who don't actually know how to spell discretion never mind use it!

Well she has been in touch as we both thought she had misunderstood. Totally unhelpful. Reply she has copied back to me:

^Thank you for your Email regarding our Juniors Presentation. Our rules
are that Adults must have an accompanying child. Lone adults or groups
of adults would be refused entry due to this policy.

I hope this answers your query.

Regards^

Won't mention the cinema here but PM if you want to know. Nothing we can do about it really.