My partner and I love the cinema, we go to the same cinema and usually have the same meal at the same restaurant every single time – it’s a ritual. But with Covid restrictions earlier this year and busy calendars we haven’t been for a while, 6 months precisely.
We’d heard great things from friends about Everyman Cinema and thought it’d be worth a visit. Luckily a family member overheard us talking (hinting) about it for a while and bought us a voucher for Christmas, so we’d held onto it all year to watch the new Bond film when it was finally released.
Having waited for so long, our expectations were high and we had preconceptions it was going to be a luxury cinema experience. We expected the service, F&B and environment to be unique compared to that of a standard cinema.
With that in mind, we were ready for our highly anticipated visit.
Outside we were greeted by Bond-themed vintage cinema signs and inside we were greeted by a friendly host who explained the experience to us. The colourful cocktail lounge acts as a reception to the cinema and was decorated with large wall murals from iconic films – sophisticated and stylish.
We made our way into our screen to be greeted by another member of staff who gave us a food and drink menu and walked us to our sofa – yes you heard me, a sofa, and a very comfy one at that. We ordered our drinks (2 pints) and a large popcorn, sat back and relaxed. The décor was classic: crimson velvet seats and cushions, wooden side tables, a stage with spotlights and red curtains draping either side of the big screen.
The waiter service at your seat was a huge selling point for us – our order was taken and arrived with us just in time for the film starting. The service from the staff was faultless and really made it a memorable experience – they were attentive without being overbearing and were full of personality and energy.
Just before the film was scheduled to start, the curtains drew close and the host took to the stage to introduce himself and address the audience. He let us know that they were waiting for the last few guests to arrive who’d informed them they were running late. Just like us, everybody was enjoying the atmosphere so didn’t mind the delay – it was a nice personal touch that they’d informed us.
Everyman Cinema positions itself at the premium end of the leisure/ cinema market. And yes, the experience is inevitably slightly more expensive than a regular cinema trip because you’re paying for a luxury ‘one-of-a-kind experience’, but it feels that way as soon as you arrive at the venue until the moment you leave.
They centre their experience around redefining the cinema and changing the way people experience the magic of the cinema, and they have done just that. They have put a whole new level of excitement into going to the cinema: the atmosphere, the décor, the food and drink offering and most importantly the service.
We often refer to colleagues, especially frontline colleagues, as those responsible for delivering the customer experience. At Everyman Cinema, every member of staff we encountered delivered the best possible experience of the Everyman Cinema brand, it was:Premium and high quality – waiter service at your seat, luxury furnishings
Good old-fashioned hospitality – anticipating the needs of their customers, making them feel welcome and comfortable
One-of-a-kind: addressing and interacting with the audience