The CGR Lido cinema in Castres has decided to set up from this Wednesday July 28 a gauge of 49 spectators per room rather than imposing a health pass on its customers.
Since the introduction of the health pass on Wednesday July 21 in almost all CGR cinemas, the group has recorded a 70% drop in attendance compared to 2019. Florence Panis, director of the CGR de Castres, says: “It’s terribly frustrating. After a magnificent day on Tuesday July 20 where we had packed rooms on the previews of Kaamelott, we fell dramatically the next day. The health pass and the speed of its implementation were fatal to us. All the more frustrating as we have a great proposal for films. ”
The Lido is a “mixed” cinema
David Scantamburlo, group marketing director, adds: “at CGR Cinémas we have a geographic network that allows us to adapt and be as pragmatic as possible. From the moment when the decree authorized us both to set up the sanitary pass or to impose a gauge of 49 spectators per room, we set up the gauge device on ten small cinemas, and applied the pass for everyone else. As a reminder, the CGR circuit represents 73 cinemas in France, mostly multiplexes. The most suitable solution for the group was to set up the pass. ”
But the CGR de Castres, is a “mixed” cinema, between the small city center cinema and the operation of a multiplex: a double-programming both for the general public and Art & Trial, the same hours as a multiplex , a capacity in room 1 of 280 seats. The first choice was to apply the sanitary pass, a decision the group is returning to today. Also, from this Wednesday July 28, the gauge of 49 spectators per room will be set up. Without knowing until when this measure will last, given the speed at which the decrees that modify the measures fall.
A financial blow
Financially, it is yet another blow that falls on the operators: “we are not going to complain about the way in which we have been helped by the government, adds David Scantamburlo, but what we can deplore are the perpetual ones. announcements made in haste, whether or not justified by the urgency of the necessary implementation of sanitary measures. Culture is at the forefront, it is instrumentalized in this race for the vaccine. We were the first to have to implement the health pass in somewhat chaotic circumstances. The day of the installation we had to ask for proof of identity from our spectators, three days later we had to stop doing it. It’s very complicated to have a clear guideline for our spectators when our role is to reassure them, that they can come in the greatest serenity to enjoy their session. We have received a lot of help from the government, but today we are calling for the release of additional funds for the entire cinema industry, in particular distributors, who have chosen to release their film by taking a risk. The government must continue to support us in the partial unemployment measures, exemptions, these are aid which has been severely limited since the end of June. However, given the numbers and the steep drop in attendance, we are going to need help if we want to stay open. ”
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