On a discussion on Facebook about cinema ticket prices, a friend noted that some cinemas still search bags for smuggled food.

Now, the last time this happened to me was probably at the local fleapit when I was going to see latest movie release The Return of the Jedi, so once I’d got over the shock that it still went on I got to thinking “well, they’ve no legal right to search me.” And I’m pretty sure that’s correct.

However, I was wondering – can they legally refuse entry to the theatre on the grounds that they’ve not been able to search you? I know pubs can refuse entry if you’re too drunk or a known troublemaker and suchlike, but can any premises refuse admission for any reason they choose? Moreover, do they have to give a reason? Seems to me that would be a big old minefield for discrimination charges if they can.

I’ve Googled it and found a lot of cinema policy statements (mostly the big chains all ban hot food and alcohol but allow cold snacks bought from elsewhere, it’s only a few still operating like my old Unit 4); and I’ve found a lot of people discussing it with typically STWesque polar opinions; but no real concrete evidence around any sort of law.

So the question is, if I’m about to enter a cinema auditorium, the minion on the desk asks to search my bag / pockets and I refuse, whilst holding a valid ticket, can they legally and enforceably refuse entry simply because I may or may not have food on me? (And how about if I happen to be carrying food that I’m going to eat after the film?)

I’d guess they could refuse entry if they refund you..
Cinema food is basically theft, I always bring my own snacks…the irony being if they weren’t so outrageously over priced for tiny portions, I’d happily buy food at the cinema.

I would imagine that “Management reserves the right to refuse admission”

Yeah, wot matty says.

Look, I never mind paying a premium for convenience, yadda ya etc but cinemas take the absolute pish. We went to the cinema yesterday afternoon…unexpected afternoon free sans child…I just went into the retail park poundland and bought a box of maltesers for a quid. The crappy bag in the cinema would have been £3+ FFS.

But sorry, for the OP’s question, I reckon they operate ROAR like any other venue but whether they can search you or not…I doubt it very much.

Me and Mrs S went to the cinematograph recently and it was like $30 with the revolting Nacho’s and pop, THIRTY QUID on a night out and not even pissed. Never again.

iirc the English legal system is one of the few where there is a test of “reason” for contracts. They could claim that when you purchase a ticket then you are agreeing to their terms and conditions, but IMO those t&c would would not reasonably include being searched for snacks before entering a cinema (and would have to be clearly stated before purchase.

I think a lot of companies really get away with abusing the law on small things like this because the impact of challenging it is far greater than the cost of acceptance to the individual.

I always think the same thing, if they charged less they’d shift a lot more and people wouldn’t feel so bitter about it being a rip off.

Definitely if they charged less then people would buy more. I refuse to buy for the crazy prices they charge.

IMO they can charge what they like for snacks

… if they learn to put them in quiet **** packaging and/or stop selling them (and admission tickets) to morons 👿

I know I’m getting on but I remember going to the pictures when there were no snacks to be bought and we didn’t take any. We just watched the film. Ninety minutes to two hours isn’t long to go without stuffing your face.

The grounds on right to search and right to refuse etc I don’t know. That’s a bit sketchy. Surely they need either a valid reason to single you out or a well advertised random search policy?

As for taking food in the general rule is no hot or smelly food or alcohol. Ironically they sell warm hotdogs but I guess that is kind of a cinema smell, unlike a nice madras or doner kebab 😀

Cinema admission and food prices are ridiculous. I get 6 free tickets with my bank account and that is pretty much the only reason we go. And I take my own haribo! Yes that makes me a skinflint I figure it’s at least 3x over priced so if I go 5 times a year, 3 times for free then it’s about right!

Yeah, well I can remember when there wasnt even any films you paid your 2d to stare at a blank wall for the afternoon.

It was all about an ice cream in the intermission when I was a lad.
+1 to the horrifically overpriced and would sell more for less if they would but trial doing so. I think it’s why smaller bags of confectionary were invented.

Yeah, well I can remember when there wasnt even any films you paid your 2d to stare at a blank wall for the afternoon.

You were lucky…

I would imagine that “Management reserves the right to refuse admission”

Sure, but that’s my point. That’s their policy perhaps, but can they legally do that without giving a valid reason, or do they have to explain why? (Surely they must have provide some explanation, otherwise they could have an unspoken policy to refuse entry to Asian people or homosexual people, for instance.)

And if they do have to explain why, is “you’ve refused a search” or “you’ve got a bag of Revels in your pocket” sufficient justification to refuse entry? Can they set whatever policies they like, or is there some sort of control in place to prevent abuse?

It was all about an ice cream in the intermission when I was a lad.

At the risk of derailing my own thread, I really miss intermissions. Especially now in the days of 3-hour blockbusters (and a 40 year old bladder). I don’t know why they stopped doing it, it’s an opportunity to sell more overpriced scran so I’d have thought it would be in their best interests. Unless I suppose, no intermission = more time for screenings = more revenue overall.

Apparently they make almost no money from the screenings, all the profit comes from the overpriced food.

Ohh how I miss Woolworth’s and their pick n mix.

Sure, but that’s my point. That’s their policy perhaps, but can they legally do that without giving a valid reason, or do they have to explain why?

They don’t have to have any reason – just because you have a product or service available you can’t be forced to sell it. Where people get into hot water is when they give a reason when they’d have been smarter not to.

I don’t know why they stopped doing it

I assume it happened once they did not have to switch reels- I am guessing tbh but it seems plausible.

They used to do Bassets sweets in little 4oz card boxes. Like bigger versions of the packets Poppets cane in. You could win the same ones at the seaside fairs.
I was a member of the ABC club on Saturday mornings. Happy days.

They don’t have to have any reason – just because you have a product or service available you can’t be forced to sell it. Where people get into hot water is when they give a reason when they’d have been smarter not to.

Seriously? So they could refuse entry to anyone who, I don’t know, looked a bit gay and there’d be no comeback?

I find that absolutely mind-blowing in 2016.

I assume it happened once they did not have to switch reels- I am guessing tbh but it seems plausible.

Ooh. I’ve no idea but that sounds like a very likely possibility to me.

Ooh. I’ve no idea but that sounds like a very likely possibility to me.

It might be one of the few times on STW that JY is right. 🙂

Seeing as we don’t have projectionists any more (Kermode could bore us silly about this…) and with the advent of digital cinema, reels are pretty much a thing of the past. Also, cinema owners worry about underage viewers swapping to naughty films during intermissions (not that with modern multiplexes, there’s anything to stop them of course…).

From a thread on Reddit today:

Smuggled Costco Cheesacake

We smuggled two McDonald’s McChicken Sandwich meals in once.

The only place that tried it with me, I got my money back and walked out never to return, they were going to let us in unsearched! but I thought no way are these **** getting a penny off me. The cinema has long since closed 😆

And yes they can refuse entry as any private property owner can for any reason.

surely it’s their private premises so they can refuse entry at their discretion as long as it’s not flouting other laws based on colour, creed, age, sex blah dee blah. Obviously, being reasonable would probably also be not at your financial loss for services you didn’t get, ie refund. Despite what red tops would have you believe, I think that British law and courts still mostly revolve around common sense, reasonable expectations and actions. Like in a pub, it would be reasonable for them to ask you to leave if you brought your own alcohol into the pub and sat at a table consuming it.

Also, cinema owners worry about underage viewers swapping to naughty films during intermissions (not that with modern multiplexes, there’s anything to stop them of course…).

I don’t mean to derail the thread, but I’ve often thought the same. Once you get past the ticket checker who says which direction your screen is, surely you could walk in to anything that you fancied. Once in a while during the film I’ve seen an employee stand at the front for a little bit but I’m not sure what they’re looking for!
Someone in here must have tested this theory!!

Our fluorescent adolescent daughter and her mates go to the multiplex loaded up like drug mules with sweets, popcorn and fizzy drinks. My proudest moment was when I realised she’d stuffed the zipped up hood of her coat with Haribos.

If it was me then a strip search would be a nice diversions instead of sitting through endless pre movie adverts but she’s been primed to say she’s diabetic in a loud voice and create a scene if ever challenged about the amount of swag she’s stashed in her pockets – not that she ever has had need to…..

.the irony being if they weren’t so outrageously over priced for tiny portions, I’d happily buy food at the cinema

If they charged normal prices for it your ticket would be about £15. As above they make no money from the ticket. Plus, they aren’t stupid. They are the ones with the sales figures across dozens of outlets and demographics, so they know damn well how much to charge to maximise profit. Why does everyone with a tenth of a clue think they know better than people who do it for a living?

Once in a while during the film I’ve seen an employee stand at the front for a little bit but I’m not sure what they’re looking for!

People filming the film, I expect.

I don’t mean to derail the thread, but I’ve often thought the same. Once you get past the ticket checker who says which direction your screen is, surely you could walk in to anything that you fancied.

Yep, me too.

Also, I’ve often idly wondered if you could see 2, maybe 3 or 4 movies in a row if you knew the rough start times of each one.

. Especially now in the days of 3-hour blockbuster

Why exactly are films so long these days?
99% of them are rubbish and could easily be dispensed with in an hour.

I’ve always taken my own food and even wine to the cinema long before cinemas clocked onto a market for it.

Never ever been searched (I.e open your bag to view). They don’t dip in and pull things about.

MrsH even used to brazenly walk on with a shopping carrier bag.

Nowadays though the ticket price puts me off going full stop. I might go and see Jason Bourne this year but £15 for me and a 5yr old to watch Paddington Bear dented my desire for cinemas abit

it depends what they are searching for? I recently had my bag searched at a theme park before entering the park.

I’m not sure if they can refuse entry based on discrimination, hopefully that has long passed.

Surely this is no different to being searched going into a gig, which most people find relatively acceptable.
I could extend the analogy, to smuggling my own booze into a restaurant….

Bad analogy. You go to a restaurant to quaff and eat at the trough. You go to the cinema to watch the latest CGI and bad scripts with ham acting as the food

🙂
Not sure. I normally choose a restaurant for it’s food, rather than it’s wine list.

dunno about the legalities around refusing entry, but a good few years ago at parr’s wood cineworld in didsbury we’d gone to watch the first lord of the rings film, and a family was sat right behind us (parents, 3 kids) tucking into at least half a dozen freshly cooked pizza hut pizzas. they must have just walked straight in with them in full view.

zippykona –

Why exactly are films so long these days?

Peter Jackson.

Anyway, I’m sure someone has already said it but cinemas have long claimed that they make no money from ticket sales and it’s the concessions stand that makes the money. I think that’s a stretch. Either way I wouldn’t consent to being searched whether I was smuggling food or not.

If they charged normal prices for it your ticket would be about £15. As above they make no money from the ticket. Plus, they aren’t stupid. They are the ones with the sales figures across dozens of outlets and demographics, so they know damn well how much to charge to maximise profit. Why does everyone with a tenth of a clue think they know better than people who do it for a living?

Sadly, this is true.

Which is a shame; it’s a shame there are so few cinemas that serve up a more sophisticated experience. Choice of food served, no booze, and choice in aesthetics and decor really are make most cinemas a low rent, teencentric experience. But I guess that reflects much of the output from the film production companies too so it’s no big surprise.