New cinema in Chippy

Thu 31 Aug 2023, 18:27

The two 'summer blockbusters', Barbie and Oppenheimer are showing alternately in Screen 1 and Screen 2, it’s a bit of a faff on the booking site, because you have to click on a time and day before it shows you which screen it’s on, but for example, this Friday, both films show twice, once in each cinema. I know that’s still annoying if you wanted to see a particular film at a particular time but you do get the opportunity to see the films in the screen of your choice if you can be flexible on time.

Thu 31 Aug 2023, 16:39

Kate Pook:

Cinema 2 absolutely ISN'T "perfectly accessible" (though I suspect Cinema 1 is). And warning anyone else with dodgy legs of the problem isn't "negativity": it's sensible advice.

If - and this is something that's ultimately inevitable for many as they age - you struggle with stairs, Cinema 2 is seriously unpleasant to get into, even compared with a typical 18th century central Charlbury terraced house: its steps are substantially higher and steeper. 

Ironically, The Living Room's founder, 41-year old Claire Beswick, attributes her idea for the concept to realising that people in her local town (Liphook, Hampshire) had, in her words, "no access" to a real cinema.  And I have to say that when I was 40, I probably wouldn't have seen Cinema 2's staircase as a problem. But last week it really, really was.

Given that Ms Beswick and her team have developed their first sites under the pressures of Covid and its aftermath, I imagine cashflow's been a problem, that adding a lift to the Chippy outlet could have killed its viability and that their solution is to use Cinema 2 for films aimed primarily at younger audiences (we went to Barbie and there are many classic Disney films scheduled there for the next few months). But however much The Living Room adds to the fun of going to films round here, I don't plan to use its Cinema 2 for films I can see in Oxford or Witney or at the Chippy Theatre. 

Thu 31 Aug 2023, 15:08

I went to see a film this morning with my daughter, and it’s an excellent cinema given it’s in a rural market town. Lovely quality, positive staff. I’m not sure why there’s such negativity towards it here as I suspect screen 1 is perfectly accessible. With the whole country struggling to maintain shops / high streets / leisure spaces we should count ourselves very lucky. I used to go to Olympic Studios in London, The Picture House,  also Soho Farmhouse etc and there’s little between them in terms of what they offer.  It has my full support. 

Wed 30 Aug 2023, 17:56

The Chippy Theatre, is not a very comfortable venue to watch a film.  I went in January, and had a couple behind me chatting for the first 10 minutes, I prefer Cineworld in Witney.  But if The Living Room shows films that mainsteam cinemas do not show then I am all for a choice.

Wed 30 Aug 2023, 17:42

Why the outbreak of negativity? I’ve just had a look on line, and Chippy theatre seems to show around 5 films a month, most of which aren’t things that the new boutique cinema is showing. I’d have thought anything that has the latest films that people want to see, and saves them driving from Chippy to Banbury or Witney is a good thing for traffic reduction. My only disappointment is that a couple of the things being shown at the new cinema which would have attracted  me are sold out already.

Wed 30 Aug 2023, 16:41

I just had an email about cinema from Chippy Theatre about their cinema offering, and am perplexed to see no connection between it and the “boutique cinema”.  Chippy is a small town: why is a company setting up in competition with a community theatre?

Mon 28 Aug 2023, 19:09

Christine:

I've just tried booking this Saturday into Cinema 1 - and almost all the front row is specifically described as "wheelchair friendly", with complex instructions about what the cinema does with the seats if you don't have a wheelchair 

From which I'm sure Cinema 1 is accessible for people who just don't want to hoist themselves up tougher stairs than they've got at home. Since for most Charlburians, that's a pretty high bar to match, we're happy to take the risk at £4 a time. If either of us struggles, I'll let you all know.

To stress though: accessibility apart, The Living Room really is at least as comfy as Soho Farmhouse - without its absurd annual subscription. And it's got more reliably adequate legroom than Chippy Theatre. 

At least as significant an improvement to local facilities as the revamped Bull

Mon 28 Aug 2023, 15:23

Bring back CHOC?

Thank you Michael - very helpful observations.

Interesting to note that on its website under "accessibility", it simply says: "If you need further information about Accessibility at The Living Room Cinema Chipping Norton, please send us an email at hellochippy@thelivingroomcinema.co.uk"

Which in itself is a tad disappointing.

Still, I wish them well, and hope that able-bodied customers enjoy the films.

Mon 28 Aug 2023, 14:39

Thank you, Michael, very useful information, especially as I am still recovering from a broken hip and wouldn't want to negotiate steep stairs. 

I see that the Living Room cinema says it is a fully accessible venue, able to accommodate wheelchairs in the auditorium and throughout the café-bar. Every film I've looked at so far is on Screen 1. I take it that the same problems don't arise for the Screen 1 showings. Interested to find out how others with disabilities have got on at this venue.

Mon 28 Aug 2023, 14:05

A couple of surprising qualifications to Lesley's praise for The Living Room.

It's a two-screen operation: one of them (Cinema 2) is on the first floor, at the top of surprisingly steep stairs - and has no lift. Even if you live in a typical older Charlbury house, where getting almost anywhere requires negotiating accessibility-unfriendly stairs, The Living Room is distressingly uncomfortable to visit for anyone in your party with ageing limbs. And a lot nastier than Harpers - the shop that used to be there.

And rows A and B (at the front) are bizarre in their uncomfortable closeness to the screen.

It was gobsmacking to see the cinema had been developed with such little sensitivity to the needs of many potential customers. None of these problems crop up at Witney Cineworld, Soho Farmhouse, Oxford Curzon or even Chippy Theatre when it's showing films. 

Mon 28 Aug 2023, 13:21

I noticed the new cinema in the old Harpers building in Chippy (The Living Room) almost by accident as I’d seen zero publicity about its opening. I went to check it out last week and would definitely recommend it. They’ve clearly made a big investment and it is aimed at the boutique end of the market. The staff were lovely.

I’ve received a mailing from them advertising National Cinema Day on 2nd September when tickets for all films are £4 (£3 + booking fee). I booked mine on their website this morning and saw that I was the first person to book. They are clearly lacking publicity so I wanted to share this in case anyone else wanted to check them out (and take advantage of the cheap price).

I don’t have any connection to the cinema - I’m just an impressed customer.