Empire Cinemas Reviews Summary

Ticket Pricing

Pros:

• "Reflected in the price, too... £2 a ticket for adults and children."
• "Ticket prices are cheap compared to Odeon."
• "I can comfortably say my favourite affordable cinema."
• "It's cheaper, the parking is free if you have your ticket validated."
• "Great ticket prices and very comfy seating, it was great to pay just under £12 for two tickets in big luxurious armchairs."
• "Very reasonably priced for the area."
• "The prices are very good."

Cons:

• "£30 for two people to watch a film - before food and drinks, is not cheap."
• "Prices are no longer good. £9.99* is crazy; most expensive tickets in the area!"
• "Avoid this place! I paid over £90 for four tickets and some food."
• "The price for tickets is quite high but worth the experience of watching a good movie."
• "Price is getting a little steep though. £27 for two adults on a sofa."
• "However, why on earth is Empire charing £0.70 booking fee PER TICKET when purchasing multiple tickets online as part of a SINGLE booking / transaction process???? Absolute rip off!!!!!!!"
• "Don't come here unless you want to get ripped off!"

Cinema Condition and Comfort

Pros:

• "The cleanliness of the cinema is great."
• "Brilliant renovation done, brought it right up to date."
• "It's clean, looks great and really managed well."
• "Much more of an enjoyable experience since the relaunch."
• "Screens are big, seating is comfortable and the sound quality is superb."
• "super comfy single or sofa seats have been installed making it a great family experience."
• "The recliners are amazing, especially in the D-Box screens where you get to feel all the movements in an action film."

Cons:

• "The last time I went it was very old and run down and tattered seats."
• "Quite a drop in quality of seats and sound."
• "The cheapest seats are not the newest, and the rows are quite tight in the cheap area."
• "However, the screens featuring sofa seating and standard seating are pretty uncomfortable to say the least."
• "Seats broken, smells like urine in one room and vomit in the other."
• "The only reason it's not 5 stars is there are only one set of toilets and they are all the way back at the entrance."
• "Many of the seats are broken down and tired."

Staff and Service

Pros:

• "Staff were friendly and screen was a decent size."
• "Staff helpful and friendly."
• "Had a brilliant experience this evening, all thanks to a wonderful member of staff named Leanne!"
• "Staff are friendly and helpful."
• "The staff are always friendly and knowledgeable."
• "Staff were amazing really friendly."
• "Staff were also super friendly, which was much appreciated."

Cons:

• "The only downside, and the reason it loses a star, is the organisational chaos in the main foyer."
• "Empire cinemas in Sutton is a magnificent place. BUT scrimping on staff is such a bad idea! Long lines of people for everything, as only one is serving."
• "Staff here are useless I might as well of been served by a washing machine."
• "The staff aren't very happy in their jobs and it shows."
• "Staff still super slow though which can be mind numbingly frustrating."
• "Staff ignore the queue building and leave one person to do everything until someone complains! When I got served, my drinks were wrong despite repeating them 3 times."
• "However slightly judgemental staff when purchasing my disabled and carer ticket."

Facilities and Accessibility

Pros:

• "A lovely place to see a film. Nice seats. I have used the Sofa and recliner seats and they are comfortable and leather."
• "On accessibility, though, it's excellent - with a radar key lift and toilet."
• "Everything is clean and tidy (inc toilets)!"
• "It's beautiful, and state of the art technology with Dolby Atmos surround sound, comfy settees and recliner chairs."
• "One last thing the 3 hrs free car parking is brilliant - you have to use the car park above the cinema but when you come out of your film go to the desk where you show your tickets on the way into your screen and they will scan your car park ticket."
• "Free parking for 2 hours or so but you must remember to get your ticket validated on the way out."
• "The car park above never fills up and is subsidised if you get your ticket validated in the cinema."

Cons:

• "The toilets are like something from Glastonbury - beyond filthy."
• "However the toilets are always gross so unless you want to die of cholera you might have to wait the whole movie to go to Costa's toilet."
• "The female toilets needed some maintenance work on the door shutting/locking across several cubicles."
• "You'd think after a full renovation to the cinema you'd be able to enjoy your cinema on lovely recliner chairs...unfortunately, I could hear every word and song of Mama Mia! That wasn't even the movie I was watching."
• "Love the new look cinema. Very pleasant place to now watch a film. My only criticism is only one set of toilets located in the foyer area. It’s a long Walk from some of the lower screens especially if disabled."
• "It had urine everywhere in both cubicles and even had bits of faeces in the sink and on the floor outside of the cubicles."
• "What I cannot find acceptable is the ripped seats and Hogarthian squalor in the auditorium."