BRING BACK THE TICKET OFFICE !
There is no ticket office at Vue Cinemas in Doncaster.
To obtain your ticket you either:
have to use a machine where you pay by either Direct Debit or Credit Card, thus incuring a charge.
Or you have to join what may be the slowest moving queue in the UK at the refreshments kiosk to purchase your ticket.
WHAT A COMPLETELY STUPID SYSTEM !
All I wanted were two tickets to watch Batman - The Dark Knight.
They expected me to wait patiently in their little line, there was actually about 20 people in front of me.
Waiting whilst each party of mum and dad, timmy, billy and zoey and grandma make up their minds about who wants a hot dog, who want a burger, who wants their hot dog with mustard, who wants it with ketchup, who want cheese on their burger, who wants a plain burger, who would like some nachos, who wants drinks, what flavour drink, what size drink, who wants ice, who doesnt want ice, who wants popcorn, what size pop corn, who wants candy floss, who wants ice cream, what size ice cream, do you want a flake with your ice cream, who wants a tub of candy, what size tub of candy.
Waiting, waiting, waiting
who wants a T-Shirt of the film, what size T-Shirt, have you got my size, do you do it in black, who wants a hat of the film, wait a minute sir we've just ran out but there are more in the stock room - I'll just get you one.
Waiting, waiting, waiting
then the spotty uninterested teenage assistant has to read the entire order back out to the family to confirm it's correct, but it's not, it's wrong so we have to go through it all again
Waiting, waiting, waiting
Now he has to assemble the order, you just know he wont get it right, surprise surprise - it's wrong so we repeat the process of checking to see who's got what and what is missing. This isn't easy as 2 of the kids are now fighting in the arcade area of the cinema, granma suffers with toilet problems and is in the ladies, so mum has to try to round everybody up.
Waiting, waiting, waiting
Finally family no 1 order their tickets for the film and shuffle off under their mountain of food and goodies towards the screens. Next, shouts the young lad. Just another 6 familys in front of me. At this rate I may just make the ending credits.
I had foreseen these delays and immediately questioned an employee about their policies. I was not happy with her explanation and requested the manager. The manager said they wanted the ticket office open but head office would not let them and it was against company policy for them to have the ticket office open. All tickets have to be purchased through the refreshment area, thus boosting their sales and profits.
The manager informed me that she couldn't just process a ticket sale through her kiosk tills as the rest of the customers would probably riot.
She directed me to the pick n mix sweet arcade which was empty but who also sell tickets for the films.
WHAT A FARCE !
No wonder people are downloading films to watch, it's just so much easier.
If I could allocate NO STARS then this place would be on the receiving end of one.
And they say the customer comes first. Really ?
If you are going to this cinema to watch a film I would advise that you leave well before it's screening time. Use the Pick n Mix till, people are unaware that you can purchase tickets there.
As for me, the next time I go to the cinema will be to the Odeon in the town centre. read more