Confiscated popcorn.

[sallybb]

Don't know how this warrants front page news in our local paper, but there is someone threatening to take a cinema to the European Court of Human Rights for confiscating his popcorn. He had it in a canvas bag and they searched him.

Im sure we have all done this, but in a more discreet manner, and sneaked in cheaper snacks, in a pocket or bottom of handbag. Rather than pay the sky high prices at cinemas?
This opens a whole new can of worms, does this mean when I go shopping with the other ladies and we pop into a restaurant for a quick bite of lunch, they can search our shopping bags and confiscate Mr BB's supper?

[mike11111]

^ Sorry, slight error in my previous post. A lady would not do that, for lady read woman.

[cazzz1975]

I have never had a problem bringing my own snacks to the cinema, though I dont openly show them off, I have never been searched!

[rockyracoon]

http://www.cineworld.co.uk/terms

This is from the Cineworld website

[rockyracoon]

Go to Key points on entry policy

[Wrongn3mber]

"wrongn3mber you say "you can only be searched by bouncers, the police and customs". Is this true? Does a bouncer really have the right to search you?"

Yes they should ask you can they search you and you agree and they'll search you however you can refuse but then they have the right to refuse you entry.

[sallybb]

Ive never had a problem with taking my own snacks in. Even though they state only food bought on the premises can be eaten. Always have them tucked out of sight. This guy had a canvas bag, so they probably suspected and then searched. Too many jobs- worths. Thats a thought perhaps staff are on a bonus scheme.

[mike11111]

I used to take my own cigs in because the greedy buggers used to stick an extra 1d on a packet of ten.

[ABerrant]

"Cinemas exist to show films, not sell sweets &c. All this is purely ancillary."

That statement is incorrect if part of the cinema's business IS selling sweets etc., in which case it is a double standard to agree with such a policy being applicable to specific types of business (cafés and pubs) and not others (cinemas) offering a similar service or supply.

[mike11111]

What a heap of ABerrant cobblers! Are you saying that the next time I frequent a brothel I am not allowed to bring my own condoms?

[ABerrant]

It would entirely depend on the T&Cs of said brothel.

Management retains the right to refuse entry.

[mike11111]

LOL!!!

[Wrongn3mber]

"Management retains the right to refuse entry."
Lol, you're a genius aberrant.

[emmie]

It't been unacceptable to eat your own popcorn, food, or drink anything other that what is purchased in the cinema. That i am sure has been in for a long time. According to an article i read some time back, most cinemas make their money out of the sale of foodstuffs they sell on the premises but not from ticket sales. A guy was escorted out of the cinema, for bringing in his own goodies, not even sure they gave him his ticket money back.
I have seen people eat their own food, sandwiches, in the pub, sorry not allowed, and take their own drink in as well, also not allowed.
I don't know whether what they did was illegal, but as far as i am aware these policies of consuming cinema bought foods only, certainly in London have been in force for a long while.

[237SJ]

Personally I wish they would ban all food in cinemas. I can`t stand it when I`m watching a film and all I can hear is rustling from paper and people munching. Can they not just sit for a while without stuffing their faces? I remember leaving a cinema in the States and it looked like a rubbish tip. The places must be alive with small rodents.

[Mosaic]

'Special dietary needs' is a useful phrase - if you have a medical condition that requires regular protein or carb snacks for example - and it's hard to disprove and the cinema can ask itself if it feels lucky....the resultant litigation from chucking away a diabetic's safety mars bar could ruin them.

It's in the the discreetness as well - a corned beef and onion butty, cut into quarters and secreted in pockets will attract no attention. A wicker picnic hamper might get their backs up.
Mind you, I perfected the technique of eating a packed lunch behind my desk lid - never got caught, sign of a wasted education.

[emmie]

237sj i will second that, the thing that spoils all cinema visits, is the dingbats scrunching sweet papers, riffling through the popcorn box for that last remaining nugget, or talking through the entire film, why do they go i wonder, you can stay at home get a DVD and do all that. I enjoy the cinema but the last time was a nightmare. And indeed a rodent did run pass us all, over out feet, and under the seats. No one screamed but it was quite startling i must say, especially as this was one of the more plush cinemas here, wondered if it realised that and took a bow on the way to it dinner, probably all that discarded rubbish.

[mike11111]

And to think that when I used to go to the cinema as a boy the price of admission was two jam jars. Rodents were an added bonus; fleas were a part of life.

[Maydup]

My friends had a packet of sweets confiscated at a small music venue in the same manner as this person lost their popcorn.

I think its a shame its come to that but I also know that the survival of many venues is down to the sales from food and drink now. There's not enough people going through the doors to manage on admission money alone.

[mike11111]

Mosaic must have had a very lax and careless teacher. If I saw a boy's desk lid up for more than five seconds my antennae would go into overdrive. I was very rarely wrong.