How Fifers are being charged more for Odeon cinema tickets

With still no cinema deal for Kirkcaldy, those who want to catch the latest blockbusters have to travel to the outskirts of Dunfermline to the Odeon, where they will be charged more for a ticket than Odeon outlets in Edinburgh or Dundee.

Big city branches of Odeon, like Lothian Road in Edinburgh, charge £12.25 for a single adult ticket, while Dunfermline costs £13.50 for the same film showing at the same time.

Dundee is also even cheaper than Fife, with an adult ticket coming in at just £11.25.

Click here to sign the petition to help bring a cinema to Kirkcaldy

And families are paying even more! A family ticket in Dunfermline costs £9.25 per person, compared to just £5.75 in Edinburgh – meaning Fifers are paying 69% more.

_____________________________________________________________

How do the prices add up?

Dunfermline Mission Impossible, Tuesday, 8.20pm, 2DAdult: £13.50Child: £10.75Teen: £11.75Senior: £12.25 Family (per person): £9.25

Edinburgh, Lothian RoadMission Impossible, Tuesday, 8.15pm, 2D Adult: £12.25Child: £10.25Teen: £10.75Senior: £10.75Family (per person): £5.75

DundeeMission Impossible, Tuesday, 8.20pm, 2D Adult: £11.25Child: £10.00Teen: £10.00Senior: £10.00Family (per person): £8

_________________________________________________________________

With travel costs added in, it means that it is cheaper for Kirkcaldy film fans to catch a train to Edinburgh and watch a film there, rather than get the two buses to Dunfermline Leisure Park.

The Press looked at the three biggest current blockbusters which were all showing at the same times; Mission Impossible – Fallout, Incredibles 2, and Mama Mia, Here We Go Again.In each case, every type of ticket at the Dunfermline Odeon cost more than the Edinburgh or Dundee Odeons.

A spokesperson for Odeon confirmed that the prices were different, though did not explain why.

The spokesperson said: “Like many cinemas, theatres and leisure venues, our ticket prices vary depending on location, the type of entertainment we’re showing, seat type, screen type, time since release, the age of our guests and the number of people booking at one time (for example family tickets are cheaper than buying separately).

“This gives our guests plenty of choice and the opportunity to enjoy discounts and promotions during quieter periods, with all pricing options clearly listed in our cinemas and online.”

Kirkcaldy has been without a cinema of its own since Odeon, who owned the ABC on the High Street, closed it in November 2000.

It means that the Dunfermline Odeon, the only mainstream outlet in Fife, effectively has a captive audience and can charge more as a result.

The news demonstrates yet another reason why Kirkcaldy needs a cinema of its own. It would make it far more likely that ticket prices would remain more competitive and Fifers wouldn’t be charged over the odds to watch the latest blockbuster movies.

Right now it is easier and cheaper to make the 25-mile train journey to Edinburgh and visit a cinema there, than to catch two buses to the Dunfermline Odeon just nine miles away.

Kirkcaldy MSP David Torrance said he felt Fifers were being squeezed because of the lack of competition.

“It’s unfair that Fife film fans are being charged more than in Edinburgh or Dundee. It seems like Odeon can charge what they like because people from Kirkcaldy don’t have much of a choice.

“That’s why it’s important that people back the Fife Free Press campaign to bring a cinema to Kirkcaldy.

“Sign the petition and make your voice heard to show cinema operators that there’s a lot of support.

“A cinema for the town centre would do a great deal to help regenerate the area and give a boost to the night-time economy.

“That means more business and greater footfall for bars and restaurants nearby, which means more jobs in the local area.”

Join the thousands calling for a cinema in Kirkcaldy

Almost 2500 people have signed our petition calling for a cinema in Kirkcaldy – and we still have a huge number of forms to collect!

That is exactly the message we want to send to LaSalle Investments, who run the Mercat Shopping Centre – which has a planning bid in to develop a cinema – and any operators looking to come to Scotland.

Councillors are expected to consider the application when they meet in August.

But if approved – and all sources say it will be – that will only give the Mercat permission to create a cinema or leisure complex on the site of the now demolished swimming pool. It means the package the centre can offer an operator is more attractive – but, right now, it doesn’t have one.

Vue, whose name was widely touted for Kirkcaldy, are out of the picture.

Our campaign, which has the backing of councillors across all parties, our MSP and MP and local businesses, aims to put pressure on LaSalle to deliver the leisure complex that is critical to the future direction of our town centre.

And it also sends a clear message to any operator looking to invest that Kirkcaldy should be top of their agenda.