NEWS/BLOG

Do screenings get cancelled due to bad weather?

We’ll always try to carry on regardless of the weather. However, if we do have to cancel due to bad weather (very heavy, prolonged rain, high winds or lightning) we’ll offer replacement tickets for a re-scheduled date wherever possible. Keep one eye on the weather forecast, our website and social media channels before the event. We’ll also e-mail and/or call all customers in the event of postponement or cancellation. In the event of cancellation all customers will be refunded.

What should I wear?

It’s sensible to bring blankets or extra layers to add as needed as night falls; hot summer days can become balmy summer evenings and then chilly summer nights even during a heatwave! Rain showers have occasionally crept up on us too, probably best to have something waterproof with you, just in case. No umbrellas are allowed once the film begins though, they tend to upset the people sitting behind you. Bring a torch too, or use the light on your phone. These things are pretty handy after dark, and some of our venues get REALLY dark!

How and when will I receive my tickets?

Tickets are e-mailed to you within 24 hours of booking. Ideally you should simply show them to us on your phone on the night, or print them off and bring them along if you prefer, although it’s better for the environment if you don’t. We don’t print and post physical tickets either. It’s a green thing.

Please check your spam or trash folder for your confirmation and/or tickets if you don’t see them in your in-box. If you do find them in your spam folder, please make sure you add info@alfrescofilm.co.uk to your ‘safe senders’ list as we’ll send you further useful information regarding the screening as the date approaches

What if I forget my tickets?

You silly sausage. Please try and remember them as tickets are required for all customers. If you have forgotten, we’ll have a list of bookers and we can check this when you arrive, but it might take a little longer to get in. And the people queuing behind you will start muttering, like we Brits do.

Can I buy tickets at the venue?

If a screening is advertised as ‘sold out’ that will mean that there are absolutely no tickets available online or at the venue. If the screening isn’t advertised as ‘sold out’, then we will have limited tickets available at the venue, but we’ll only be able to accept cash payments on the night. Our events are really popular and generally do sell out, so if you turn up only to discover that we sold the last two tickets to the annoyingly smug couple who got there just a moment before you, we can only apologise!

What’s your refund policy?

Unfortunately once your ticket is booked we can’t offer refunds, however we have no problem with you giving it or selling it to someone else (face value only please, let’s be nice!). Anyone found 'touting' tickets for personal gain will have their booking cancelled.

Is seating provided or should we bring our own?

At most screenings, we offer a limited number of deckchair seats (these will be listed as ‘Premium Deckchair Seats’ on our booking pages if any are still available), and these will be positioned near the front, closest to the screen in three or four rows, before gates open.

Other than that we don’t provide seating, we would recommend you bring picnic blankets or low-backed camping chairs. Those sitting on blankets will be asked to sit near the front, with those on chairs to the sides or further back, so that everyone can see.

If you bring one of those camping chairs that’s more like a throne with a high back (ooh, get you, your Majesty) we’re likely to ask you to sit at the back or the side so that people behind you aren’t struggling to see over your crown...

What am I not allowed to bring in to the event?

No glass of any kind is allowed in the event area. No barbeques, tents or gazebos are allowed. No dogs, other than assistance dogs are permitted. Needless to say, no fireworks, flares, weapons, knives, nasty stuff. Let’s be nice, life’s too short.

Sometimes people ask if they can bring their tiny baby along. You can, but it will get dark, chilly and the film is likely to be loud, and if your pride and joy is unsettled and crying, we’ll have to ask you to vacate the screening area until he or she is settled.

Are there toilets?

If the venue doesn’t have its own facilities, we’ll provide portaloos. They’re never glamorous, but they do the job.

What time do screenings begin?

All start times are approximate, and may vary a little depending on weather conditions on the night. In a nutshell, it has to be dark, so our screenings always begin around 30 minutes after sunset, which obviously varies throughout the year. We’ll never start before the advertised time, though.

Do you serve food and drink?

We endeavour to bring the best food and drink producers along to all our screenings. Some venues have their own, in house teams, at others we bring bars, street food and cinema snacks along. We’ll advise on social media and by e-mailing all customers from one show to the next

Can I bring my own food and drink?

This varies from venue to venue. At some events picnics are more than welcome, however at others no food or drink may be permitted. Also, alcohol is often not permitted, even if you are allowed to bring a picnic. Check each individual screening for exact detail for the venue in question. Glass is also strictly forbidden in any venue, for the safety of customers (both glasses and bottles).

Will there be parking?

Generally yes, but please check individual event information in this regard. We’ll always try to find venues with parking close to the screening area, but if we’re heading into a deep, dark wood or something similarly unorthodox to bring you a unique movie experience, it can prove a bit tricky

Are venues wheelchair friendly?

Wherever possible we find venues that are accessible for all, however in some more unusual venues this can prove almost impossible. Please check details on each individual event for further information regarding accessibility. Also, feel free to advise us if you have any specific requirements. We like to be helpful wherever possible…

Are children permitted?

Yes, children are more than welcome as long as they are the correct age for the film’s certificate. We’re not letting little Leatherface in to watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, even if his or her costume is really authentic. Photo ID is recommended to be safe, just like at the normal cinema. Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult. Children aged three and under can go free, but must sit on a parent/guardian’s lap, unless otherwise stated at the time of booking.

This sounds like a no-brainer, but we do ask that children aren’t left to run around and be noisy in the audience or around the event site once a film is screening. But we know you’d never dream of allowing such a thing!

Are dogs allowed?

Assistance dogs are more than welcome to attend screenings as long as they’re well behaved (and they usually are, they’re trained for that kind of thing). Unfortunately, no other dogs are allowed as this may spoil the enjoyment of the screening for other members of the audience.

Can I smoke?

For the enjoyment of all audience members, smoking is only permitted to the rear of the venue, and away from the seated audience. Some venues will not allow smoking at all, so please refer to the screening details for full information.