Face masks won't be 'expected or encouraged' when cinemas reopen

New government-endorsed guidelines have officially been announced

UK cinemas have announced the government-endorsed guidelines they will introduce when reopening doors in July.

Chains around the country are set to reopen on 4 July, almost three months after closing down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The guidelines were put together by the UK Cinema Association following consultations with the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS).

The amount of people permitted inside any one cinema will be “managed” by staff, but no capacity has been set. Customers will be advised to use hand sanitiser before entering the premises.

Floor markings will guide customer traffic in one direction. Staff members will be appointed “social distancing champions”, although face masks will be neither “expected or encouraged”.

While cafes will remain closed, popcorn will still be served to anybody who wants it.

In the screening rooms themselves, there will be social distancing between seats – which may reduce capacity to approximately 60 per cent.

The rooms will be frequently cleaned between showings, with films being played at a reduced rate.

These rules apply to cinemas in England, but Screen Daily reports that Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will use the guidelines as a framework for their own.

The first films to be released when cinemas reopen in July will be Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.