A narrow escape (from a shutdown)

[Frank Cox]

The Saskatchewan government issued a new public health order today. News reports that I read said that the new restriction that affects me would be a maximum of 30 people allowed in a theatre. So that didn't bother me much; I've only had 30 people here once or twice since I re-opened anyway.

However, I downloaded the order from the government website when it was posted this morning to be sure that I was doing everything right, and got a big surprise:

Food or beverage may be served at a casino, bingo hall, movie theatre, live theater, performing arts venue, arena, or sports facility if there is in an area designated for the consumption of food or beverage that is separate and apart from any other activities taking place in the facility, and the food or beverage is only consumed in the designated area.

Egad. Does this mean that I can't sell popcorn and drinks to people to consume while they watch the movie? If so, that would be a really big problem; I'm more-or-less running on a break-even basis right now and removing the concession profit would pretty much force me to close again.

Frankly, I felt pretty much ambushed by this provision since I wouldn't have known anything about it if I hadn't downloaded that public health order and read it. But not wanting to jump to conclusions I wanted to get some clarification from someone in authority.

After trying all day to get one of the public health people to call me back, I finally got a call from the district supervisor for this region late this afternoon. He said the health inspectors actually had a meeting to discuss that very thing this morning, and it's still allowed for movie theatres to sell popcorn and drinks as usual because movie theatres don't have any "activities".

Whew!

I guess I can keep on doing my thing.

[Harold Hallikainen]

Watching a movie is not an activity? I hope they revise the wording or issue a clarification.

Good luck!

Harold
https://w6iwi.org

[Mike Blakesley]

Sounds like they define an activity as something where people are interacting with each other. Which hopefully people aren't doing at the movies. (Well except some teenagers, or is that even a thing anymore?)

[Kenneth Wuepper]

Mike,
Arre you referring to the "necking in the balcony?"

[Martin McCaffery]

So, I guess you won't be showing Rocky Horror.

[Randy Stankey]

How may people who have worked in a movie theater for any length of time HAVEN'T come across a couple of people "doing it?"

It seems like a rite of passage... both for the people doing it AND for the people working in the theater. Doesn't it?

Who hasn't gotten a bit of "quality time" with their date in a dark movie theater? It's almost a social norm.

If you've worked in a theater for any appreciable amount of time, you MUST have come across a couple "in medias res."

I have... It was at the Cinemark, Military Circle theater in Norfolk, VA.
A couple had hopped the rail to the VIP seating area and were doing it right in the middle of the aisle.

That theater had an exit from the booth into the balcony. I came out the door and practically stumbled on them but they didn't see me. I guess they were too busy, getting busy. I stood there for about half a minute then said, "Ahem... Excuse me... Don't you think you'd be more comfortable doing that some place else?"

They got up, grabbed their clothes and ran out the door. I went back to the booth to phone the manager's office but, by that time, they were long gone.

[Marcel Birgelen]

It's interesting how it took just 5 posts for this topic to mutate into something completely different.

But yeah, I think that everybody who ever worked in a theater for any length of time may have encountered a couple mistaking the kind of establishment they're actually in. I guess the chance of "getting caught" is part of the excitement...

Regarding those lockdown rules: Theaters were allowed to reopen in the Netherlands, about a week ago, but concession sales isn't allowed... So most cinemas currently allow people to bring their own snacks and drinks.

With the capacity limitations in place, no concession sales and the lack of any attractive new content, business is obviously abysmal. For many locations, technically it doesn't even make sense to be open, but I guess it's better to be open than to be closed, because a closed theater will look like it's out of business and will be quickly forgotten...

On the bright side, the first vaccines are expected to be rolled out in many western countries in December. So, it looks like that in 2021, we can start the long road of recovery...

[Randy Stankey]

It's interesting how it took just 5 posts for this topic to mutate into something completely different.

Not at all! People were pondering the question of what kinds of "activities" people did in theaters.

Sex IS an "activity!"... At least it was the last time I checked.

And it is a good way to spread Coronavirus, too!

So, there you go! Sex in movie theaters should be outlawed in order to prevent the spread of viruses! They don't have to shut down movie theaters! Just stop people having sex!

[Kenneth Wuepper]

Looking out the booth window into the balcony was very entertaining. Thanks to the Hatke reel end alarms, I didn't miss any changeovers. Balcony shows were better than what was on the screen.