Film fans rap Cineworld Northampton for selling seats less than two metres apart

Film fans in Northampton are accusing Cineworld of putting profit before safety by selling seats less than two metres apart at their Northampton multiplex.

Yet local authorities say the cinema is not flouting local advice which tells people in the town to stick to strict social distancing unless it is "not possible."

Northampton Borough Council, which licences cinemas, says seats only need to be more than one metre apart to meet government guidelines and it is down to cinema-goers to wear face coverings if they find themselves sitting less than two metres away from someone outside their group.

Cineworld opened its doors at Sixfields for the first time in nearly five months last weekend promising: "Our booking system has been updated to allow you to sit next to your friends and family in our cinema screens while ensuring a safe distance between customers from separate groups."

Yet one film fan who contacted the Chronicle & Echo was shocked to find himself sitting with people directly in front and behind him on a trip to see the 40th Anniversary edition of Star Wars classic The Empire Strikes Back.

Alex Lloyd said: "Cineworld kept two seats either side of us empty but people were sat directly in front and behind.

"There were loads of empty rows and the staff didn't even think to ask them to spread out to another row.

"Sitting in a screen for a two-hour film, you're likely to have someone cough behind you and customers can't keep masks on all the time if they are eating and drinking.

"In my opinion, they need to be called out for putting lives at risk over profit."

Face coverings will be mandatory inside cinemas from Saturday although the complete guidance on what to do when eating and drinking has yet to be published.

Cineworld says seats in each row are 1.2metres apart is fielding plenty more flak on its social media outlets from people making the same point.

One vented: "I've got ill before a few days after someone sat behind me in a cinema coughing, sniffing and sneezing.

"If you can get a normal illness that way you sure can get Covid. One metre-plus means it should be two metres unless there's no other options and everyone is following the rules — which they won't be."

Cineworld insists seats in each row are 1.2metres apart, complying with the government's 'one metre-plus' guidelines.

A statement said: “Cineworld continues to follow local council guidelines, which in Northampton state that you should keep two metres from others at all times and use a face covering where you are less than two metres apart.

"We therefore strongly encourage all customers of Cineworld Northampton who are seated less than two metres apart, to wear a face covering during the film.”

Public Health Northampton's guidance issued nearly two weeks ago asks people to: "Keep two metres from others at all times" but use a face covering "if social distancing at two metres is not possible."

A Borough Council spokesman said: “Government guidance is that cinemas must try to ensure two-metre distancing but, where this is not viable, one metre with risk mitigation is acceptable. Also, on Friday the Government announced that within a fortnight it will require people visiting cinemas to wear face coverings.

“As long as cinemas are abiding by the Government guidance there should be no problem, and we are seeking sight of the risk assessment Cineworld needs to have put in place for reopening.”