Re cineworld : IS THIS LEGAL

Brought this back to see whether anyone has had any further experiences of being banned from entering with their own food/drink.

I went to a Cineworld in Kent yesterday, and forgot to take a jacket. I simply walked in with a bottle of water in the back pocket of my jeans. No-one said anything.

I was all prepared with a little speech about how it wasn't legally enforceable and everything. :)

For info-
  • There is no right to ban any legal item being used for a legal purpose.
  • You can ban people from entering if they refuse to comply with a reasonable condition of entry.
  • If they did that to an Unlimited card holder, it would breach the contract under which it operates, and they could be liable for compensation.
 
It's quite common for organisation to bind or attempt to bind customers into contracts, by virtue of a completed transaction. However, the contract terms/ts & cs have to be readily available upon request, otherwise they may not be enforceable.

I'm going to CW tonight, and will ask for their General Ts & Cs.
 
I'd ask for the money back on that law degree if I were you. I don't have one and even I know that's b*****ks.

ALL public places, as you put it, do inform you first. They must also tell why they are searching your bag and must be authorised to do so. Some spotty oick on the ticket counter is not allowed to simply ask you to open your bag without due cause. If they are searching your bag for items likely to cause offence, such as a weapon, the subject of the search must be told that is why they are searching. Think of it as the same as apolice officer, when he goes to the district judge to ask for a search warrant. He must have due cause, a specific reason and adequate knowledge of any crime having taken place. The terms of the warrant are quite clear, he is to only search for the items and premises detailed in the warrant.

Now, as far as a cinema is concerned, they can only search for the items for which they have specified at the time of the said search. The terms of the seach can be fairly broad, for example, they can say that their search is for security reasons and will include items that could be considered offensive. However, the use of offensive, again has to be reasonable, i.e. what any reasonable person may find offensive, for example strong smelling fooRAB, or a weapon of some description. They do not have the powers of seizure and cannot insist that they confiscate any items.

To the terms of admission; if they have taken money, in consideration of the settlement of a contract, they must take all reasonable steps to honour that contract. Simply saying that because you won't submit to a search (which could be unlawful) that they have the right to not fulfill their part of the contract, is insufficient reasons to withold their part of the agreement. As far as compensation would go, you will be entitled to cost of the ticket and possibly the costs of travel etc. You may also possibly be entitled to damages (which the OP is NOT looking for) for embarassment and loss of enjoyment, but they wouldn't be extensive.
 
Why let them? I would say "invasion of privacy" and "get stuffed!"

I would also picket their cinema and let every one know what fascists idiots they were and to avoid the place if they did try that one me!
 
I don't know if this is allowed or not, maybe someone can clarify this for me.

If i'm an Unlimited Cineworld card holder am i able to ask for 2 tickets to see a film, one for myself (which is free of course) and one for my friend (who is not an Unlimited Card holder) if you see what i mean.

Basically, can i ask for 2 tickets and then give one of them to my friend so we can go see a film? Or would my friend have to pay for his/her own ticket?
 
Oh well hopefully that gets sorted out, as if they did take your bag they would also have to make sure it was in a safe place, i.e. cloakroom with an attendant at all times or locker. My local cineworld, stated they were doing "random searches" to catch anyone trying to illegally record films. When the guy asked me why I had food, I explained once your cinema starts selling carrot sticks, I'll start purchasing it from you. :)
 
The simple answer is no. The card is not transferable.

But, you can use your Unlimited card in conjuction with Orange Wednesdays to do what you describe.
 
My local view cinema, has a similar policy

My wife is a diabetic, and when they asked to look in her bag, they said that she couldn't take in her jelly babies into the theatre. Because she might throw them, she's a woman in her late 30's not an 8 year old child!!

We complained to the manager, they to start with where not at all helpful. explaining her diabetes and if this stupid policy continued we would never come back to the cinema, or at least train the staff to use their common sense, in making a decision. We missed the start of the movie, which the manager did refund us, and also gave us free tickets to come back for another movie.

OK they have to keep movie screenings secure from dodgy video recording.
 
Going back to the OP, is this legal - well I guess it probably is, if you're the holder of a standard ticket, and you were aware (or an attempt was made to make you aware) of the constraints on "own food" before you parted with your money.

If you paid in advance or are an unlimited customer, it gets a bit murkier - because you wouldn't have been made aware at the time of purchase - and in my case, my unlimited contract dates back several years, and was made with UGC, not Cineworld.

There is another angle on this, of course... which is that I, as a real human being, do not want to be bullied by a mere company in to doing what they want me to do, if I don't want to. That's not as simplistic a point as might first appear. We've already established that this is not a crime, as such. It's a violation of the company's rules (or ts & cs) that might lead to you not being a customer any more. There are other cinemas, and the chances are they won't ban you permanently anyway. So what is the legal and moral issue in taking them on, or using a little subterfuge to get your own way?
 
slightly off subject but personally i choose not to go to the cinema due to the idiots who go to the cinema to talk rather than to watch a film, my temper is very short and it's probably best that i am not around these people for too long.
 
And you are but one person (if indeed that is your actual feelings and you're not just trolling).

I guarantee you that more people think negatively of Cineworld from this thread than otherwise.
 
I often go to the Cinema in the West End of London, or Chelsea/Fulham Road. These are expensive areas, but you can *still* buy a proper meal(*) in a cheaper restaurant before the film for what it would cost you for a Hot Dog, Drink & Popcorn in the cinema.

I wonder just how much money they are losing through this policy?

(*) Katsu Curry at Wagamama Haymarket, for example, is
 
I have been meaning to push this thread back up so thank you. They have sign at screen entry no food or drink allowed that not bought, but now I am taking in my water in my hanRAB and not concealed.

I have event aken in crisps etc and they have seen it and no one said anything is it the staff not bieng bothered or have they realised they can request you dont take your own food in but cant stop you?


A lady also took a big hand bag in she was not searched and out of it pulled out five cans of pop and 5 bags of sweets.


So we have a update


Also if they were espensive it would be ok as treat but not extortion. A 99p bottle of water in the shops they are charging
 
i go to cinema after work and I have my work stuff with me cos I wont leave it in the car as keys etc..

do they really need to search for recording equipment? afterall the priates have taken it a step fruther by now by going to the source and not cheal camcorder recordings and the cinemas have night vision that know when film are bieng recorded, not that I know anything aobut these activities:o:o:o
 
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