Cold, overpriced, and not enough members of staff around are some of the complaints that have arisen since Bridgend's Odeon cinema upgraded to 'luxe' status. Some people haven’t been able to understand what they are paying the extra money for since the town's Odeon rebranded their facilities to their premium Odeon Luxe setup.
I bought a ticket for £15 to see the Plane and wanted to go in with an open mind. My first thought when looking at the Odeon Luxe at McArthur Glen designer outlet in Bridgend was that it did not really look much different from any other Odeon that you might go to and pay a normal price for.
But once you step inside – and it could be down to the fact it was a Tuesday night – the whole place seemed pretty spacious and serene. Cinemas in general can be a nice little escape from the rush of day-to-day life but the Odeon Luxe did seem particularly relaxing to give it some credit.
Read more: Customers complain new Odeon Luxe cinema is 'like an ice box'
There were tills selling popcorn like you would have in a normal Odeon but one extra feature was the newly-designed Oscar's Bar which added an extra sense of sophistication. But although it must be a nice bonus if you fancy having a taste of something a bit stronger than a Tango Ice Blast you can understand why it may disappoint some people as there was not very much seating nearby to make the bar stand out or come into its own.
I had my coat and jumper at the ready while watching the film, as one of the things that people have complained about previously is that it is “like an ice box”, but I personally had no issues at all with the temperature. The cinema room itself was super-cosy and much smaller than your average multiplex screen which made the experience feel a bit more special.
I loved the reclining seats and the other people around me were also enjoying this feature, which was really what the luxe experience all seems to be about. I was thinking while sitting there with my legs up that I could get used to this life but then remembered the extra £7 or £8 that would get added to the bill each time and thought my bank account might thank me if I stuck to my normal prices.
But if you’re a film fanatic and love splashing out every now and then to have a quieter and perhaps a more chilled few hours while making the most of a film then I can completely see how this could be someone’s cup of tea. Frankly I probably don’t go to the cinema often enough to really feel the difference but the seats were very plush, the swivelling tables to prop your popcorn on were amazing, and I felt like the tickets would need to be a lot pricier if you were going to expect any other facilities.
Maybe the name is what has set people off on the wrong foot as the word 'luxe' maybe implies that the whole place is set out like a fancy movie theatre but in reality it’s just a nice modern twist on your classic Odeon-shebang. And while I certainly wouldn't go every week it definitely feels like a nice treat if you're wanting a change from watching Netflix on your sofa.
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