Autism Friendly Screenings are returning to Cineworld

We are delighted to announce the return of Autism Friendly Screenings from June 2021.

Customer safety comes first, and in order to ensure that we run these screenings in a COVID-safe way, we want to make you aware of the differences you will notice when visiting the cinema, and a few small changes to the way Autism Friendly Screenings will run.  

Read our Autism Friendly Screenings social story below to find out more:

Autistic customer journey: what to expect when you come back to the cinema

When I arrive at the cinema, I will see a hand sanitiser station set up at the entrance. I am going to use this to wash my hands before entering the cinema. There will also be other stations around the cinema set up for me to use when I would like to use them.

There will be floor markings to guide me and help make sure I am socially distancing.

When I am queuing to buy my ticket or my food and drink items, I’ll be sure to use the floor markings to make sure I am socially distanced from other customers.

When I reach the front of the queue, I will see clear Perspex screen at the counter with a hole over the counter. This screen will keep me separate from the team members at Cineworld, and I’ll use the hole to pay for my items and receive them to take into the screen.

When I’m at Cineworld, the team members will have been provided with face coverings and visors as part of their uniform, and will be wearing them if they are able to. If I have any questions for them, I will be sure to speak to a team member and they will help answer my question.

The toilets will also feature floor markings to let me know where I have to queue if it’s busy, and some of the urinal toilets and taps will have been blocked off from use to help keep me separate from other customers.

Is there any change to the way the Autism Friendly Screenings will run?

Customers attending an AF screening will now be required to remain in the same seats throughout the film to ensure social distancing in the screen. The lights and volume will still be turned down to help create a relaxed atmosphere. 

There will be no trailers, but a COVID-19 related advert will be shown at the beginning of the screening. 

Are your disabled toilet facilities still open?

All our toilets are open for customer use, including accessible toilets.  

Are there any changes to the food and beverage offering?

We are offering our full range of food and drinks with the exception of pick and mix sweets, which have been removed from sale due to the risk of COVID transmission. Customers are still free to bring their own food and drink with them to Autism Friendly Screenings.

I am exempt from wearing a face covering – what should I do when I get to the cinema?

Our team are aware of all the face-covering exemptions, and are also aware that some autistic customers, and customers with some other learning disabilities, may be exempt from wearing a face covering. To avoid any confusion, we recommend letting a member of our team know about the exemption when you get to the cinema. For customers who are not exempt, face coverings must be worn for the duration of the cinema visit, but may be removed when in the cinema auditorium to eat and drink.

What Autism Friendly Screenings are showing?

Our first Autism Friendly Screening is Peter Rabbit 2. The film is screening on Sunday 6th June.

What have you done since reopening to ensure that the cinema is a safe environment in relation to COVID-19 guidelines?

All the information about the steps we have taken to ensure our cinemas operate in a COVID-safe way can be found here.