Some Cinemas in S’pore Now Forcing People to Sit With Empty Seats Beside Each Other

By
Shawn Ambrose
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The Covid-19 virus may have taken away our ability to travel and attend concerts, but there is one thing it will never take from us: movies.

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie at the cinema, with its comfy seats, huge screen, and impeccable sound system.

Reader: I download movies now and watch it on my laptop because I don’t want to risk infecting my fellow Singaporeans

Is that really the reason or are you just cheap?

Reader: *drops fast food vouchers to the floor* How dare you say such a thing

At any rate, while movie theatres worldwide are shutting down, local cinemas are still screening Hollywood blockbusters for cinephiles in the country.

The only difference is that you’ll be a little further apart from your fellow moviegoers.

Cinemas in S’pore Now Forcing People to Sit in Pairs With Empty Seats Beside Each Other

Many cinema operators here have enforced gaps between seats in the theatre during the Covid-19 outbreak after a government advisory last week called on entertainment venues to limit visitors and increase the spacing between customers.

Golden Village, for example, blocks off neighbouring seats when customers buy tickets online or at its automated ticketing machines.

If you lovebirds out there are panicking, don’t worry; this applies on a per-booking basis, so you can still sit with your lover/friend, but the system will leave a gap between other patrons or groups.

Image: Giphy

As you may know, GV and many other cinema companies had a longstanding policy where patrons were not allowed to leave a one-seat gap when booking seats.

This has been lifted, however, due to the Government’s new social distancing guidelines that recommend patrons be seated at least a metre apart.

Shaw Theatres also introduced a new seating system on Monday (16 Mar) that leaves a gap of at least two seats between every two or three seats.

But not every theatre is enforcing this rule.

Three Cinemas Not Enforcing Gaps

Even though they have started reducing the number of seats sold in each hall and encouraging moviegoers to leave at least a two-seat gap from other patrons, Cathay Cineplexes still allows patrons to book seats beside those that were already sold to others.

The same goes for EagleWings Cinematics at King Albert Park.

The independent cinema published a social distancing guide on Tuesday on its social media channels, urging customers who are booking tickets online to leave a space between them and other patrons, but customers can still book seats next to other customers on their websites.

Filmgarde Cineplexes, has not enforced seat gaps either, according to TODAYonline.

So, if you’re planning to watch a movie, please book tickets a seat apart from other moviegoers, even if it’s not enforced.

Reader: But if you just wait a month or two it will come out on Netflix

Ok, this reader is cheap, but he has a point.

Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: [email protected]