I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding a distressing incident that occurred during your screening of The Goonies at Wrest Park on the evening of 14th June 2025 Hosted by Adventure Cinema
My partner and I were seated just behind the VIP section, using camping chairs. Approximately 20 minutes before the movie began, a woman placed a blanket beside us and then left. She returned around 10 minutes after the film had started and spent the entire movie using her mobile phone - taking calls, listening to voice notes, scrolling through social media - with her screen on and, at times, visibly bright.
I politely tapped her on the shoulder and asked if she could take her calls elsewhere, as she was disturbing others. She ignored my request, increased the brightness of her phone, and continued with her disruptive behaviour.
It is important to note that your own event disclaimer asks attendees to keep phones on silent and to be respectful of others during the screening. This individual's behaviour was not only a blatant disregard of these rules, but also deeply disrespectful and disruptive to the rest of the audience.
After the film ended, as we were packing our belongings, she threw her used serviettes at me. When I told her they were not mine, she responded by aggressively pushing me, causing pain to my shoulder. I have a disability - hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) - which causes joint instability, and this physical contact caused significant discomfort. When I told her not to touch me, she falsely claimed I had touched her and proceeded to push me again. She continued harassing me verbally, including calling me "obese," and refused to walk away despite me clearly and repeatedly asking her to do so.
I was eventually forced to raise my voice in distress, yelling at her to leave me alone. It was only at this point - not earlier when the situation was escalating - that a security guard approached, after she declared she was Turkish. The guard, a man with a ponytail, took her statement and treated her sympathetically. However, when he spoke to me, he was dismissive, treated me as if I were irrational, and even criticised me for not reporting her phone use earlier - which, in my view, should be the responsibility of the security team to monitor proactively.
To add further concern, my partner is partially sighted and uses a cane, and no assistance was offered to him either during or after the incident.
To summarise:
I was verbally and physically assaulted by another attendee which has cause physical pain on my shoulders.
The security response was delayed, passive, and biased.
No support was offered to me or my partner.
I was treated as if I were the aggressor, despite being the victim.
The disruptive behaviour violated the event's own code of conduct as outlined in your disclaimer.
This experience was both distressing and unacceptable. I am requesting the following:
A formal investigation into the incident.
The full name and employment details of the security guard who spoke to me.
A review of your on-site safety procedures and staff training.
A formal apology for the way I was treated and the harm caused.
I look forward to your timely response and a clear outline of how you intend to address this matter. Please confirm receipt of this complaint. read more
