Are you put off going to the cinema due to the cost? Elicka is. She’s a student currently doing work experience at Which? – read why she won’t be watching the latest release on the silver screen.
I’ve always loved going to the cinema. It’s the perfect place to escape for a few hours, relax and watch Vin Diesel in yet another car race.
That’s why I’m gutted I can’t afford to go anymore. Why? For me, the tickets are far too expensive.
Prices have rocketed so much in the past few years. A few years ago I could purchase a ticket at my local cinema for £5.50, but now I have to grit my teeth, smile and hand over £10.79. All the while I’ll be trying to dismiss the thought I’ll be able to download the film or buy the DVD for the same price six months later.
The cost of going to the cinema
When my friends and I used to chat about what to do together at the weekend, someone would always suggest going to the cinema. Easy, enjoyable, and affordable; we could purchase the ticket with whatever money we’d earned that week and still have spare change for snacks. Now, going to the cinema is something that’s only mumbled with guilty reluctance. And recent stats show we’re not alone in this either.
Figures from the Cinema Exhibitors’ Association in 2014 showed that ticket prices have risen by 26% in the past seven years, and even now they continue to creep higher and higher. I know that my own family goes less often because of this, so I’m sure many others have also learned to think twice before proposing an evening out.
We might approach a Leicester Square cinema with excitement and enthusiasm, but that soon turns to a dazed look when we see the £55 receipt for two adults and two children. And remember, this is the receipt before you’ve bought popcorn and ice cream (don’t think your kids will let you go without!).
At the end of the day, I have to wonder whether it’s really worth it. Going to see the latest Fast and Furious release represents a huge chunk of my money, but just 137 minutes of entertainment.
Have higher ticket prices meant you’ve made fewer trips to the cinema? Do you think the joy of going to the cinema is actually worth the cost? Personally, I think I’d rather just wait for the DVD release.
This is a guest post by Elicka Ghahramani, student and currently doing work experience at Which?