FILM fans will soon be able to catch the latest blockbuster in Taunton - as details of plans to re-open the town's cinema are revealed.

The Odeon, at Hankridge, is among 70 cinemas to re-open this month, the chain has confirmed and will welcome film goers from Friday, August 21.

This is the second phase of openings by Odeon, after 29 venues reopened in July and earlier this month.

A range of safety measures have been put in place, the cinema chain says, including:

  • Safer Buying
  • Contactless experience, including booking online and contactless ticket checks in cinema and contactless till payments for purchasing food and drinks
  • Range of ‘Grab & Go’ pre-packaged food and drinks including a bottled drink, Butterkist popcorn and a bag of sweets to improve speed of service
  • A Safer Space
  • Limited seats on sale for each show and guaranteed unoccupied seats between guests to meet social distancing requirements, whilst enabling family groups and social bubbles to sit together
  • Staggered show start times to reduce queues, with safe queuing measures in place such as floor markings and cinema host support
  • Newly serviced air conditioning that ensures fresh air is delivered into all screens
  • Enhanced cleaning by well-trained teams
  • More frequent cleaning routines on all high contact areas of the cinema guest journey
  • Guest sanitiser stations offering complimentary sanitising gels and wipes
  • Teams diligently trained on safety and hygiene measures, equipped with PPE, including face coverings and gloves

Carol Welch, managing director UK & IRE at Odeon, said: “We are pleased to announce the reopening of 70 additional cinemas across the UK, just in time to screen the season’s biggest film, Tenet.

"It has been wonderful to receive such positive guest feedback on our recent re-openings, and we can’t wait to keep sharing the magic of cinema with more film fans across the nation.”