York’s Reel Cinema apologises for tarnished Harry Potter premiere event (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
York’s Reel Cinema in Blossom Street apologises for tarnished Harry Potter film premiere event
9:34am Friday 17th July 2009 in News
Kailash Suri
THE boss of York’s Reel Cinema has apologised after the magic of Harry Potter’s latest blockbuster movie was tarnished for a sell-out audience.
Kailash Suri said Reel, which recently re-opened the former Odeon cinema in Blossom Street following a major refurbishment, prided itself on giving the best customer service and had “seriously let down” patrons.
The picture house premiered Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince on Wednesday evening and sold 800 seats for the big screen’s first sell-out.
But a number of patrons who had pre-booked tickets were unable to get seats and returned home disappointed, while those who got seats waited more than three quarters of an hour for the film to start, prompting slow-hand claps and jeers.
Vanessa MacLeod-Hogg contacted The Press to claim it had been a “shambles,” saying: “When everyone got in, it became apparent that they had overbooked the cinema and there weren’t enough seats.
“At 8.50pm, the film still hadn’t started and people were then leaving because it was such a joke. Not exactly an ideal night out.”
Another reader, Mrs Robson, said that as an avid Harry Potter fan, she had pre-booked to see the film.
“However what should have been an exciting evening with a great atmosphere was marred by the way we as the general public were treated by the staff.”
She said the film had also stopped midway through, and when it resumed a minute later the actor’s voices had been drowned by the sound of disco music. “I was keen to support Reel on its reopening, loved being back again in the old ‘Odeon’, but I know we will never be back again.”
Mr Suri said the problems had arisen because more customers had won seats in a competition than expected, which meant there weren’t enough seats for everyone who had pre-booked.
He said he wanted to sincerely apologise for customers’ experiences. “Although some factors can be justified, I realise that this simply is not good enough.
“We pride ourselves on giving the best customer service and cinema experience and feel that we have seriously let you down on this occasion, especially in the light of the positive support we have had from the people of York regarding the re-opening of the cinema. We have learned some very good lessons from the situation that arose and will make operational changes to ensure that these things do not happen again.”
He said customers who were turned away had been given refunds, but he would also like to offer them complimentary tickets.
Comments(30)
Mike Oxuge
says...
10:28am Fri 17 Jul 09
Soothsayer17
says...
10:47am Fri 17 Jul 09
Mike Oxuge wrote:Ha ha, couldn’t agree more. Can’t have been nice for young uns’ who missed out but am perpetually mystified why adults would watch or read this tripe.
It serves people right for going to watch a rubbish kids film about wizards. Geeks.
That said, I suppose two hours gawping at Emma Watson has its compensations…
oldgoat
says...
10:59am Fri 17 Jul 09
Mike Oxuge wrote:Never mind, I'm sure City Screen has some obscure French art film for you to all excited over.
It serves people right for going to watch a rubbish kids film about wizards. Geeks.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are planning to check out the newest Harry Potter, however #rubbish# it is!
Mr Suri said the problems had arisen because more customers had won seats in a competition than expected, which meant there weren’t enough seats for everyone who had pre-booked.
So, a competition caused it, eh? If you were running it, surely you know how many winning tickets are available, or you gave someone else a set number?
Sounds more like you messed up the pre-bookings to me.
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
says...
11:04am Fri 17 Jul 09
I think it's a really good cinema and very cheap to watch films in a great building.
onlyme123
says...
11:16am Fri 17 Jul 09
oldgoat wrote:First off if I want to go see a kids film with wizards in I will and believe me I am not a geek just someone who appreciates films Mike, you must be very sad in your own little world without any imagination. Also the film is full of some of the best actors this world has ever seen and the fact that these are English must be worth watching unless of course you dont know your films Mike.
Mike Oxuge wrote: It serves people right for going to watch a rubbish kids film about wizards. Geeks.Never mind, I'm sure City Screen has some obscure French art film for you to all excited over. Meanwhile, the rest of us are planning to check out the newest Harry Potter, however #rubbish# it is!Mr Suri said the problems had arisen because more customers had won seats in a competition than expected, which meant there weren’t enough seats for everyone who had pre-booked.So, a competition caused it, eh? If you were running it, surely you know how many winning tickets are available, or you gave someone else a set number? Sounds more like you messed up the pre-bookings to me.
Second of all Harry Potter is only 3 stars could have been better.
P.s. Mesrine looks a fantastic french film, on at City Screen soon!
tonezzzznoddedoff
says...
11:21am Fri 17 Jul 09
Guy Fawkes
says...
12:08pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Then when all seats were taken, there were still 20-odd walking round looking for seats. Some bright spark decided to pop some chairs in the aisles for them and a few sat down.
Yikes. This shows a very serious failure of staff training. Cinema auditoria are licensed for a given capacity, which can't be exceeded, not to mention portable chairs impeding the route to the fire exit.
without seat numbers you cant possibly have any control of who sits where and how many seats have been sold.
Of course you can control how many seats have been sold. If you have 386 seats in your cinema, you tell the box office computer that it can issue up to 386 tickets per show and no more.
That having been said, computerised box offices make allocated seating no more difficult or expensive to offer than unallocated. It also avoids the need for customers to arrive stupidly early to ensure a good seat, and complaints from customers who arrive late to find that the only seats left are in the front row and on one side (because they would be warned when buying the ticket that these are the only seats left).
There are bound to be teething troubles in any new site, especially if none of the staff apart from the managers and projectionists have much previous experience in the business (which is often the case). But putting chairs in the aisles is really not good, and IMO whoever made the decision to do so needs a P45.
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
says...
12:36pm Fri 17 Jul 09
BigJon
says...
2:29pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Vanessa MacLeod-Hogg (in article) - as to it starting late, have you ever considered that maybe the management realised there was a problem and delayed the show until as many people as possible were in the screen so they didn't miss the film? How many more complaints would there have been if people had still been entering the cinema when the film was already showing???
Mrs Robson (in article) - as to the film break.....have you ever been to the cinema before? THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!! A cinema projector pulls a very thin piece of film, a couple of cm across and hundreds of metres long, at high speed, under tension, from one reel to another - of course it will sometimes break!
As to the people saying that you should have seat numbers - I have watched many films at Vue (Warners), City Screen & Odeon over the past 20 years and I have yet to go to a show where I have been given a specific seat - if it was that much of a problem wouldn't it have been widely introduced before now?
Having said all that, there is clearly a problem with Reel's ticket system if it can overbook a screen at all. If, as stated, it was down to competition winners then the box office should have been informed to allow xx seats unsold to allow for them - the cinema I worked at for over 10 years had a general policy of leaving every screen 10% unsold to allow for any problems.
sheddie
says...
2:35pm Fri 17 Jul 09
No I had booked tickets online beforehand and just used the machine in the lobby which spat them out very efficiently. We joined the queue FOR THE AUDITORIUM at around 7:20 at which point it was already at the bottom of the stairs.
Re the delay - everyone understod not starting until all were in. It was the slow process of getting people in that was the issue.
lifesabeach
says...
2:52pm Fri 17 Jul 09
As for the film having a break fair enough, if we had been warned and surely not midsentance of a scene. the idea that this was a 'interval' is an excuse if so, a: the manager looked as suprised as we were and b: surely an interval lasts longer than 1 minute and then the film starts again minus disco music mid- scene ?
what a carry on !! and what lame excuses from the manager!! sell tickets you have, count them as you do it electronically or otherwise and stop acting like Hitler in a spoof comedy of errors.
NoNewsIsGoodNews
says...
3:04pm Fri 17 Jul 09
800+ people on the night and the only problem was with people trying to smoke on the sly in the bottom corner and haing to be removed.
BigJon
says...
3:10pm Fri 17 Jul 09
sheddie wrote:One of the reasons for the queue already being long is very simple....
"Sheddie - you turned up at 7.20 for the 8.00 showing on the first night to buy tickets?" No I had booked tickets online beforehand and just used the machine in the lobby which spat them out very efficiently. We joined the queue FOR THE AUDITORIUM at around 7:20 at which point it was already at the bottom of the stairs. Re the delay - everyone understod not starting until all were in. It was the slow process of getting people in that was the issue.
The preious show started at 4.30 (assuming it ran on time) - the film has a running time of 2.5hrs (not including adverts/trailers) - so, assuming 20 mins of ads and 10 minutes to clean the screen (though probably more if done to a 'decent' quality) - then no-one would've been allowed into the screen before aprox 7.30 anyway.
BigJon
says...
3:16pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Although having said that, in an 800 seat auditorium there should've been more than one person trying to seat people
Dave Taylor
says...
3:27pm Fri 17 Jul 09
http://www.pictureho
uses.co.uk/competiti
ons.aspx?venueId=yor
k
Alan Lineker
says...
3:45pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Wasn't quite what I expected though, Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Bone? Proffesor Fumblemore? Last time I buy anything other than cigs from the ice cream man!
BigJon
says...
3:57pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Dave Taylor wrote:Why?
Might I just mention the Harry Potter competition... http://www.pictureho uses.co.uk/competiti ons.aspx?venueId=yor k
What's it got to do with an article about Reel Cinema?
Is City Screen really this desperate for free advertising?
Guy Fawkes
says...
4:41pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Mrs Robson (in article) - as to the film break.....have you ever been to the cinema before? THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!! A cinema projector pulls a very thin piece of film, a couple of cm across and hundreds of metres long, at high speed, under tension, from one reel to another - of course it will sometimes break!
Sorry to be geeky, but 35mm release prints are now almost all made on polyester stock. Cellulose triacetate (which breaks) was phased out in the early '90s (about the time I left the industry) for release printing, although it's still used for camera negative and intermediate stocks.
Polyester film will stretch and deform, but it won't break. This can actually cause more damage if it jams during projection, largely due to the design of the device (the non-rewind platter) that feeds the film into the projector and takes it up again afterwards. Assuming no equipment damage has been sustained, a competent projectionist should be able to recover a 'brain wrap' and get the film back on the screen within 3-4 minutes, though the nature of poly stock means that (s)he might have to cut 20-30 feet (10 seconds or so of action) out of the print, whereas with acetate you would rarely damage more than a few frames.
Anyway, this place being a brand new venture, aren't they using 2k or 4k DLP projection, at least for mainstream titles? I thought 35mm was rapidly on its way out by now.
Dave Taylor
says...
4:59pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Most of our shows for Harry Potter at City Screen have been sold out.
"Book early!" as Fred Pontin used to say.
Just thought readers might've been interested to win a Quidditch set, £40 worth of Borders book vouchers, and a Hairy Potter tee-shirt.
pickle
says...
5:00pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Mike Oxuge wrote:Ha ha, agree with you. I could never understand why adults read this rubbish, they need to get out more!!
It serves people right for going to watch a rubbish kids film about wizards. Geeks.
BigJon
says...
5:43pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Guy Fawkes wrote:'break' or 'jam' - the same effect occurs in that the film stops, usually for a few minutes, whilst the projectionist sorts things out.
Mrs Robson (in article) - as to the film break.....have you ever been to the cinema before? THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!! A cinema projector pulls a very thin piece of film, a couple of cm across and hundreds of metres long, at high speed, under tension, from one reel to another - of course it will sometimes break!Sorry to be geeky, but 35mm release prints are now almost all made on polyester stock. Cellulose triacetate (which breaks) was phased out in the early '90s (about the time I left the industry) for release printing, although it's still used for camera negative and intermediate stocks. Polyester film will stretch and deform, but it won't break. This can actually cause more damage if it jams during projection, largely due to the design of the device (the non-rewind platter) that feeds the film into the projector and takes it up again afterwards. Assuming no equipment damage has been sustained, a competent projectionist should be able to recover a 'brain wrap' and get the film back on the screen within 3-4 minutes, though the nature of poly stock means that (s)he might have to cut 20-30 feet (10 seconds or so of action) out of the print, whereas with acetate you would rarely damage more than a few frames. Anyway, this place being a brand new venture, aren't they using 2k or 4k DLP projection, at least for mainstream titles? I thought 35mm was rapidly on its way out by now.
btw I also worked in the cinema industry....up until about 2 years ago...which is how I know that these things still happen
and I have it on reasonable authority, from someone who went for a projectionists interview at Reel, that they are using the same projectors from when the Odeon was closed
dont give a monkeys
says...
6:45pm Fri 17 Jul 09
lifesabeach
says...
8:08pm Fri 17 Jul 09
BigJon wrote:I tink your missing the point... the manager said it was an 'interval' not a problem with any kind of reel 35mm or cinefilm it sill does not account for a break mid-sentence. Also could someone account for the 'disco' music please when the film came back on ....? i think not!
Guy Fawkes wrote:'break' or 'jam' - the same effect occurs in that the film stops, usually for a few minutes, whilst the projectionist sorts things out. btw I also worked in the cinema industry....up until about 2 years ago...which is how I know that these things still happen and I have it on reasonable authority, from someone who went for a projectionists interview at Reel, that they are using the same projectors from when the Odeon was closedMrs Robson (in article) - as to the film break.....have you ever been to the cinema before? THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!! A cinema projector pulls a very thin piece of film, a couple of cm across and hundreds of metres long, at high speed, under tension, from one reel to another - of course it will sometimes break!Sorry to be geeky, but 35mm release prints are now almost all made on polyester stock. Cellulose triacetate (which breaks) was phased out in the early '90s (about the time I left the industry) for release printing, although it's still used for camera negative and intermediate stocks. Polyester film will stretch and deform, but it won't break. This can actually cause more damage if it jams during projection, largely due to the design of the device (the non-rewind platter) that feeds the film into the projector and takes it up again afterwards. Assuming no equipment damage has been sustained, a competent projectionist should be able to recover a 'brain wrap' and get the film back on the screen within 3-4 minutes, though the nature of poly stock means that (s)he might have to cut 20-30 feet (10 seconds or so of action) out of the print, whereas with acetate you would rarely damage more than a few frames. Anyway, this place being a brand new venture, aren't they using 2k or 4k DLP projection, at least for mainstream titles? I thought 35mm was rapidly on its way out by now.
lifesabeach
says...
8:11pm Fri 17 Jul 09
Head of Bomber Command
says...
10:32pm Fri 17 Jul 09
BigJon
says...
7:08pm Sat 18 Jul 09
acre_mount
says...
9:31pm Sat 18 Jul 09
coblimeyhecythump
says...
8:24am Mon 20 Jul 09
BigJon
says...
6:03pm Wed 22 Jul 09
sheddie says...
10:14am Fri 17 Jul 09
But the story above doesn't tell the half of it! We got there 7:20ish for the 8PM show, and it was well after 8 by the time we got into the auditorium (and the queue still stretched outside at that point). The problem was that people were being let in in small groups, and a single chap was trying to seat people neatly (despite there being no seat numbers or seat allocations!). With just him at it (and not letting the next group in until he'd sorted the previous one) it was ridiculously slow.
Also this annoyed some people who had been queuing for hours so as to get in first and get the best seats. Instead they were guided by this chap to some poky corner seats...
Then when all seats were taken, there were still 20-odd walking round looking for seats. Some bright spark decided to pop some chairs in the aisles for them and a few sat down. Some brighter spark then remembered this thing called fire regs and the people who were just sat down had to get up again and leave and the seats were removed... another 10 minutes wasted.
To make it worse the gents toilets were 'out of order' when I went down at 8:30ish...
So some suggestions:
- SEAT NUMBERS for sell-out nights, if you must. Otherwise just let people seat themselves - or have a LOT more staff guiding them if you really must. The poor chap did his best but it was a daft system.
- Staff must surely know it's an absolute no-no to try adding seats!
- Some communication with those in the queue would have been nice, letting them know what was going on.
On the plus side as far as I could see the staff all remained super courteous throughout and also the audience were generally patient and good-humoured despite the delays.