I have a UGC card. £10 a month for unlimited cinema. Very good thing. 20 screens. Very good thing. Just a shame the cinema sucks monkey butt.

-Sound. At least 70% of the time there is a glitch with the sound making it come from just 1 side or sounding underwater.
-Screen (projection?). Why have about 10 adverts with subtitles when the projection is set so that the subtitles are too low to read.
-Food. Overcharging of a captive market sucks.
-Those new revolving doors. Possibly more dangerous than trying to perform open heart surgery on yourself. With just a spoon. Blindfolded. Using just your feet.
-Toilets. Smell really bad all the time. Like a dead baboon covered in cat p**s.

Front of house staff all seem ok. The above issues all seem to be technical and 'rear of house' issues. Do they employ said baboons to run the behind the scenes bits of the cinema and then leave them to rot in the toilet after dying of malnutrition due to the high cost of food?

I've got an unlimited card too - have had a card since the days when Mr Branson owned the cinema (was a Virgin) and you got a discount on food with your card ! They also had the Premier screens [numbers 19 and 20] and a nice but expensive-looking restaurant downstairs. Those were the days !

Agree with much of what u say !

Sound - occasionally there isnt any - very confusing ! Good for learning lip-reading though

Screen - have seen them projecting the ads on the slide projector upside down and also on the ceiling. Not good for neck. Good for Australians though

Food - always bring my own - Boots meal deal (bought in town on way to valley centretainment) is good as you get decent triple pack of sarnies, pud and drink for 2.99. Price of drinks in bar upstairs isnt bad sometimes. Go drown your sorrows there. Good for a drink b4 watching such weirdness as 'Shaolin Soccer'. Just watch out for mates that have a drink before such films as 'Saw' as they will throw up and ruin enjoyment of the film...

Doors - avoid washing machine door by waiting for someone to open the doors either side of the revolver. Use these doors for quick exit from cinema before the chavs, or to catch tram before them

Toilets - get in there before others do...

There was a thread on other peoples experiences of UGC but cant find it.

Having said all this, I've seen Lemony Splicket and National Treasure in past week and all was fine on both trips :thumbsup:

You can always go to the Odeon. That makes a watching a film on a gameboy look good!

omg how can you complain about UGC:confused:

it is the best cinema complex in Sheffield!!


Like neeeeeeeeeek says, you can always go the odean for that quality your looking for then!! :loopy:

enjoy.

ps. hope you get Mr Tall infront of you, since the seats there hardly slope down, you'll have a wonderful view!! :hihi:

Its ok. The customers tend to be the problem in there. Scum central. How to look after kids? Buy them an unlimited pass and let them run wild.....

Odeon is awful but will go there is I can get out in afternoon.

Just really go to Showroom now....

UGC is by far the best cinema around, we should really be thankful we have such a nice one in our lovely city!!

yes obviously sometimes they do have techinical problems, but what cinema does not??

NOW the problem i did have was when they run out of cheese for my nachos, i was willing to let this slide and have salsa instead (even though i dont really like it) and they had run out of jallepino peppers too...... ROOOAAARRRRR how could they??

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
-Sound. At least 70% of the time there is a glitch with the sound making it come from just 1 side or sounding underwater.
-Screen (projection?). Why have about 10 adverts with subtitles when the projection is set so that the subtitles are too low to read.
-Food. Overcharging of a captive market sucks.
-Those new revolving doors. Possibly more dangerous than trying to perform open heart surgery on yourself. With just a spoon. Blindfolded. Using just your feet.
-Toilets. Smell really bad all the time. Like a dead baboon covered in cat p**s.

You dont like it then . . . ?

Personally, I've got to agree with Steelybabs. I think it's great, legroom, easy access, nice big auditoriums . . if only I didn't get an annoying Chav/student/nacho's-loving-screaming git sat behind me everytime it would be excellent.

Originally posted by steelcitybab
omg how can you complain about UGC:confused:

it is the best cinema complex in Sheffield!!


Like neeeeeeeeeek says, you can always go the odean for that quality your looking for then!! :loopy:

enjoy.

ps. hope you get Mr Tall infront of you, since the seats there hardly slope down, you'll have a wonderful view!! :hihi:

Read neeeeeeeeks post again and you'll see why odeon is off the list. Never been to Vue though. Stupid name. Showroom does show the best films at good prices but I do enjoy the other, big, unabashed blockbusters that they don't usually show. I settle for UGC cos I have unlimited card to save money and their most redeeming feature is their willingness to show tartan asia films. For that, they do rock.

ps. I don't read Mr Men, maybe you could lend me your copy.

I wish they would use digital projectors to get rid of those annoying flickers and occasional "blobs" on the screen.

Also sometimes the food area is very sticky under foot, parking is insufficent at peak times and they do not have enough ticket people at busy times resulting in a large queue.

Other than that, UGC is pretty good.

The Showroom is by far the best cinema in Sheffield.

Originally posted by Micky
I wish they would use digital projectors to get rid of those annoying flickers and occasional "blobs" on the screen.

Also sometimes the food area is very sticky under foot, parking is insufficent at peak times and they do not have enough ticket people at busy times resulting in a large queue.

Other than that, UGC is pretty good.

People get funny about vintage marks though, like getting comfort from the pop and crackle of an old record with yer pipe and slippers.

So pardon me for getting technical but if you had a digital projector and dur.. a digital movie, a picture expanded so much as to fill a cinema wall would get pixelated instead of grainy.. i'll take the grain!

the one thing that annoys me is that they charge more if you book online.
it saves them money damn it. They need less staff on tills, the experience is more pleasant for everyone as the queuing time is shorter. Why should I pay 50p more when it benefits them as much as me?

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
ps. I don't read Mr Men, maybe you could lend me your copy.

sure thing im selling them on ebay as we type!!

be quick though you dont want to miss out!! :loopy:

let me see which one suits you... mr grumpy :|

Hi Iffypop,

A digital movie for use in large screen display is stored on special servers as there is so much information that has to be displayed (terrabytes). There is absolutley no pixelation.

If you were to compare side by side 35mm film reel against digital, people would choose digital every time.

Also with digital, the high cost of film prints (circa $3000 each) is eliminated as films can be distributed by sattelite. The cost of high end digital cinema projectors is still quite high but I reckon in 10 years we will all be watching digital cinema.

I appreciate that you may not know much about this and I have something of an inside track on it.

You mean they dont just buy the DVDs and play those?!

heh heh..

cheers for the info, looking forward to digi in 10 years!

I think UGC is top dog!

Plenty of parking (maybe not infront of the place, but I've never failed to get a spot somewhere in Centertainment!)
Showings on very often
Cinemas always clean
Plenty of leg and arm room (I went to Warner Village the other day and was much more cramped)
Sometimes big queues but I still never wait longer than 3 or 4 minutes to get my tickets!


The food and drink prices are quite expensive.. but that's my only complaint!

The reason it's so busy is because it's a big, successful cinema and if you think you're going to find a cinema equally as good (and as easy to get to) that has less people going to it- Think again!

GazB

I keep reading about people with/without UGC cards complaining about UGC.

I have to say this..... people who has the UGC card cancel it and
go somewhere else!! People who hasnt got the card, go to the other cinemas!!

I dont understand why people complain about it and keep going back?!

I have the UGC card and i have no problems with them. Cardholders get priority queuing which is so good when you see the BIG queue at the door!We get discount vouchers for food and drinks. The screens are big and the seating are spacious.

Yes the food is abit on the expensive side..but you can just take your own snacks with you.
Never had problems with the toilets but if its smelly or disgusting tell a supervisor or manager who is always around. Yes i know we shouldnt have to inform them but if we (the customers) make the managers aware of the problem,then they should have the staff more on top of it.
About the revolving doors....its sooo much faster just to go out the normal door ;)

Has anyone been to the UGC cinemas in London?:gag:
I went to one..my gawd it was awful! sticky floor, small screens, dingy :gag:

well rant over!!! :D

The revolving doors are quite lethal actually. But so much fun. You basically have to keep running whilst they are in motion, otherwise if you stop then you'll be swept off your feet. And probably be decapitated or lose a limb lol.

Went to UGC today and was impressed with the reclining seats. But was highly dissapointed with the poor focus on the screen and the screen not fitting properly on the backdrop :(

Originally posted by Cyclone
the one thing that annoys me is that they charge more if you book online.
it saves them money damn it. They need less staff on tills, the experience is more pleasant for everyone as the queuing time is shorter. Why should I pay 50p more when it benefits them as much as me?

Buy a student ticket, you pick them up from the machine and they don't check if you have a card or not. You can always blag it and say you have forgotten it if challenged.

The new revolving doors might not be the best thing in the world, but at least they help keep the foyer warmer - there was nothing worse than waiting for your mates to arrive and freezing your nadgers off because some chav kept walking in and out the same door, seemingly just to keep it open as long as possible.

The ticket queues do get very long, but what do you expect in a 20-screen complex? They always (in my experience) put plenty of people on the tills to cope with the demand.

My only real gripe is that it takes ages to be served at the food counters. There are never enough people on there at busy times, and those who are there are rarely very quick. Although I guess that could be because of the inevitable awkward customers who always end up being there just before me... :)

I went this morning and it seems that those pesk revolving doors have bitten the dust. They were all taped up and folded up to one side.........maybe someone lost an arm in there or something.......?!

You're right about the old layout it used to be freezing........

Has anybody ever got parked in front of the place? I was there at 10:30 this morning and it was still full.......Does everybody who works at the centretainment drive to work?!

Someone i know was going through those revolving doors and someone behind had pushed them hard, the glass hit the back of his heel and the door frame etc fell off! haha, probably a health and safety risk aswell as daft!!

Originally posted by theimposter
I went this morning and it seems that those pesk revolving doors have bitten the dust. They were all taped up and folded up to one side.........maybe someone lost an arm in there or something.......?!

You're right about the old layout it used to be freezing........

Has anybody ever got parked in front of the place? I was there at 10:30 this morning and it was still full.......Does everybody who works at the centretainment drive to work?!

I got a spot about 30 feet from the doors at 7:30pm on Saturday night.. Was chuffed :D

(No, wasn't a disabled spot either).

GazB

(The film, Alexander, was crap).

I went to see The Aviator at Vue in meadowhall on friday afternoon and for the first 10 minutes the lights kept coming on and off and the picture was on the wrong setting, it went up and down instead of across to fill the screen. I went to tell someone but the only person to be found was the lass behind the popcorn counter who had to phone someone up to sort it out.

So its not just UGC that sucks sometimes!

ps- The Aviator is brilliant. If Dicaprio and Scorsese don't win an oscar then the academy are corrupt gits!

Well, as an employee at the UGC cinema at Sheffield I thought I should take the time out to defend our efforts!
I work on the concessions bit (one of the chicks who tells you we don't have any hot dogs ready for 10 minutes!), and yes, we are well aware at the time it takes customers to queue up to purchase snacks etc, and also, yes, the price of the food is VERY expensive compared to the prices in supermarkets, but the profit from the food pays for pretty much EVERYTHING in the cinema - basically, if it wasn't for the food, there wouldn't be a cinema industry. The vast majority of the money made from the ticket sales go straight back to the film companies.
If you don't like the prices just bring your own munchies :)

And with the queuing problem, we do the best that we can, with the people that are on. There are times when there blatantly isn't enough staff on (or we have certain individuals who aren't the quickest people in the world), but we can only do what we can. Plus, it doesn't help with people being arkward with their food orders, or asking for a coffee AFTER getting the rest of their food (the coffee machine takes AGES, ask for it first if you don't want to wait a long time!)

Oh, and btw, I'm not on commision for this post! lol.

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff

-Sound. At least 70% of the time there is a glitch with the sound making it come from just 1 side or sounding underwater.
-Screen (projection?). Why have about 10 adverts with subtitles when the projection is set so that the subtitles are too low to read.
-Food. Overcharging of a captive market sucks.
-Those new revolving doors. Possibly more dangerous than trying to perform open heart surgery on yourself. With just a spoon. Blindfolded. Using just your feet.
-Toilets. Smell really bad all the time. Like a dead baboon covered in cat p**s.


Sound - I saw around 200 films last year at UGC, of which maybe 5 or 6 had sound problems. Either you are crap at maths, or you need to get your ears syringed

Screen - You really care about the adverts that much? Don't you have a TV set? So long as the main film is in the correct aspect, what does it matter (the problem is caused by the adverts being in a different aspect to the main feature)

Food - Show me a cheaper cinema for food! If you don't want to pay...don't buy it! I recall, from my early childhood, that the prices of food has always been high! It is simple business economics. The food is the source of income, with the ticket price barely covering the distributers cost and projection costs.

Revolving Doors - At least it is warmer. If they upset you so much, use the disabled access door to the side

Toilets - Well, who would expect a toilet to smell like...erm...a toilet after a few thousand people have used it!

If you really hate the place that much, why go there? Cancel your subscription to the card, and stop funding them if they are so bad!!! No one forces you to 'suffer' so much.

To me you sound like a professional complainer, and I met a heck of a lot of you during my last job. People who go somewhere purely to complain, thinking it makes them important. Just to let you know...it doesn't. It makes y6ou a very sad man! If my local chip shop sold burnt chips all the time, but for only 10p, I still wouldn't buy them. So why return to a place you hate?

I think UGC is a great cinema - especially like the legroom.

Anyway, my one problem is the food. Well, the Nachos in particular.

When I go to the cinema I eat Nachos. I like them. It's what I do. I'm not greedy - I only order a regular size, but on my Nachos I like a bit of salsa, a bit of cheese sauce and a few chillis.

I have been able to purchase my favourite snack like this for many years until a couple of months ago, when upon ordering I was told "sorry sir, we've changed our Nachos policy - you can now have either salsa or cheese, but not both". Apparently they were using too much salsa/cheese, so they've got to cut down. I was shocked and upset - I asked whether I could have half of each (meaning they wouldn't on average be using any more), but my request was declined.

The only way to get both toppings is to order the large size (4 quid?). Like I could eat all that! Are UGC encouraging people to eat larger portions of unhealthy food? That's not very responsible in a society with an increasing obesity problem!

Besides, come on UGC... how much is a bit of salsa at cost price? I pay £2.70 for a few crisps... surely your mark-up is big enough on this product?

Ugc is the best cinema in sheffield,

All though you are right about over priced food and crappy sound system.

Other than that though it is excellent, there are creeky floor boards in some of the screen rooms to that are pretty annoying, especially when some fat fidgeter is sat above you.

If you go before 12pm then you cant go wrong really.

At least there is central heating in there, the last time I went to odeon in town it was freezing and over priced food wise, plus the screen isn't that big either.

As a mainstream cinema, UGC is the best in Sheffield by a long shot, and for UGc, one of the best in the country.

The problems with the parking are beyond our control as it is Centretainment that owns and controls the parking, and because it is also a park and ride, this uses a lot of spaces.

As for the sound, the projectionists are a great team and technical difficulties sometimes just cannot be avoided, but are very rare. I'm sick of customers complaining that the screen is out of rack.. when it is still in adverts and trailers. As long as the feature is ok, who cares? Apparently there is an issue with the DTS and I think we rarely are able to use the sound that is imprinted on the print, so have to use a CD (but i'm not certain at all.)

The revolving doors are much better now that they have been fixed and keep the foyer a lot warmer, apart from idiots that mess around pushing them as fast as they can, or other daft people that just stand looking at the 'push' sign, waiting for them to revolve for them.

The food isn't bad at all really, and as others have mentioned, thats where we have to make the profit.

Also, why do Unlimited customers think that they have some divine right for superior treatment? I had a card for 3 years, and it is excellent value for money, and you even have an express till (which isn't always as express as it should be due to sheer numbers!), but at the end of the day- we make very little profit on Unlimited customers who use their card a lot, particularly if they bring their own food!
Even when the queue at box office is up to the doors, it only takes 10 minutes to get through, and we offer the cheapest concessions than any other cinema!

Creaky floorboards?? what?! the floors are concrete mate!

Chavs- everyone agrees- the scurge of the cinema but apart from chucking unruly ones out, not a lot else we can do?

UGC is now owned by Cineworld, so a refit could be in order in the future?

Last point- we have one of the biggest true cinema screens in the UK, so why are you all complaining!

:confused: :confused:

I have a UGC card and love it think its great value!

but when i saw dear frankie which involves a deaf child, when he was talking in sign langue it was subtitled but these could not be seen (apart from the little white tops of the letters)
thats the only bad experiance ive had there

Originally posted by iffypop
You mean they dont just buy the DVDs and play those?!
cheers for the info, looking forward to digi in 10 years!

SUspect less than 10 years actually. Its taking off a BIG way in the States at the moment, but then they have more money than us.

Dont think of digital cinema as one of those crappy cheapy (relatively) video projectors you see in pubs showing footie on the wall....real digital cinema blows machines like that into the last century where they belong......

I,ve been going to the UGC since it open i can't imagine going elsewhrere now. you compain about the loos smelling you should go in one of the lower screens of a certain city center cinema if you like the smell of urine.
I agree beakerzoid you should like a pro complaining sad act who's not happy unless he's moaning about something do you use it to get freebies i've one last thing to say to get a life and try to st

There really isn't much to complain about when it comes to Sheffield's UGC. A wide variety of films, large screens, comfortable theatres, easily accessible - where's the problem? In terms of projection issues, it's the same anywhere you go (I've seen the Showroom have problems before), and if you don't like the food prices, don't pay them.

The days of the fleapit are gone, thank goodness. UGC rocks. :thumbsup:

Originally posted by jonsastar
Other than that though it is excellent, there are creeky floor boards in some of the screen rooms to that are pretty annoying, especially when some fat fidgeter is sat above you.

Yeah...creaky CONCRETE can be a real pain at times!!!!!

Originally posted by goldenfleece
SUspect less than 10 years actually. Its taking off a BIG way in the States at the moment, but then they have more money than us.



I was speaking to our Business Manager at UGC today about digital projectors. She said Cineworld are taking advantage of a grant scheme that UGC never did.... and she's ordered two!!

So in a while we will have two of the little beauties (hopefully in screen 7 and 8/6!) :clap:

Andy you're a sad git...

Reise Reise

hehe lol

Do you know which company is supplying these projectors?

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
I have a UGC card. £10 a month for unlimited cinema. Very good thing. 20 screens. Very good thing. Just a shame the cinema sucks monkey butt.

-Sound. At least 70% of the time there is a glitch with the sound making it come from just 1 side or sounding underwater.
-Screen (projection?). Why have about 10 adverts with subtitles when the projection is set so that the subtitles are too low to read.
-Food. Overcharging of a captive market sucks.
-Those new revolving doors. Possibly more dangerous than trying to perform open heart surgery on yourself. With just a spoon. Blindfolded. Using just your feet.
-Toilets. Smell really bad all the time. Like a dead baboon covered in cat p**s.

Front of house staff all seem ok. The above issues all seem to be technical and 'rear of house' issues. Do they employ said baboons to run the behind the scenes bits of the cinema and then leave them to rot in the toilet after dying of malnutrition due to the high cost of food?

Thanks for raising these fantastic points.

I would like to reply to each one of them:

Sound: As with any technical equipment (tv's, amps, stereo's, dvd's etc) sometimes problems do crop up and these are always unavoidable as nothing in life is guaranteed to be perfect. We always aim to fix any probs as soon as we are aware of them and we hope our customers understand this.

Projection: Again like sound the same rules apply here, problems do occur and we always aim to solve them straight away so as to have little disruption to the film. But unfortunately adverts and trailers are filmed in varying formats/ratios which cause them to be all over the screen. Again WE have no control over this unless you want a projectionist to be at every screen for every advert/trailer. And as you already know we have 20 screens so this is an impossibility. Plus most 99% of our customers do not care about the ads/trailers as they are there to watch the main feature not adverts. If once the main feature begins there is still a problem with the presentation we will sort it out as soon as we are aware of it.

Food: Distributors of films generally charge 75%+ of the ticket price for the first 2 weeks of a films run, this then drops depending on how long a film is kept. This is why concessions are our main revenue (and compared to our competitors we are cheap) Vue £1.05 pick n mix, UGC 95p. Also you don't have to buy anything do you? Captive markets only apply to desert isalnds my friend as the customer would have no option but to spend. We have no problems with people bringing in their own food items as long as it's not hot food (it stinks out the screens)

Revolving Doors: Are you a moron? Can you not navigate a set of revolving doors, or do you stand there mouth agape wondering how you get to the other side of the magical seethrough forcefield.

Toilets: Unfortunately we do have thousands of people through our doors (today we had 5000 people in the cinema before 5pm) and these people do need to use the toilets once inside. Urine does smell and again we do our best to combat this. May I suggest you stop smelling dead baboons that are covered in cat **** and stop ******* on the floor of our toilets! Toilets smell, get over it.

We do have a regular customer who comes in and seems to enjoy picking fault with everything in the cinema, and doesn't seem to be happy until he has called our projection team incompitent.

But he still comes to OUR cinema so it can't be that bad can it.

thanks for all your help. i feel duly defeated and take back everything i said. i am a moron. the reason i find the doors so difficult is because i hang my head in shame as i enter for my unjust comments. please don't hate me. i'm a nice guy. it was good of you cinemanager, to open your mind to me and set me straight with your genial knowledge on the subject. god bless you cinemanager. And god bless UGC.

PS, can you do something about the soundproofing between screens please. It sucks.

again with the digs.

It isn't the soundproofing, it's when customers leave the doors open when they go to the smelly toilets.

This causes the sound to pass from one screen to another.

You have been duly told ;)

edited - You might wanna check the rules on innapropriate comments

a bit OTT but some excellent points there

Jeez, looks like the 'UGC gang' are really out to get me. And their trying to rile the 'Odeon gang', for having their conveniant drug taking toilets. Its like west side story. with cinemas. lets just all agree to disagree before it gets out of hand and someone decides to try cineworld. come on guys... chill.

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
Jeez, looks like the 'UGC gang' are really out to get me. And their trying to rile the 'Odeon gang', for having their conveniant drug taking toilets. Its like west side story. with cinemas. lets just all agree to disagree before it gets out of hand and someone decides to try cineworld. come on guys... chill.

Yeh

UGC v's Odeon

Megamatch :D

Hardly a fair match is it?! :hihi:

What do you mean before somebody tries Cineworld?.... UGC IS Cineworld :D

Oh and what are we agreeing to disagree about Hotty?

Mr McBuff, what i dont think you and any other knockers of the UGC see is that we are extremely proud to work in the largest UGC in the country. We are continually in the top 6 list of UK cinemas, and the team that work there are the hardest working bunch of blue shirt wearing monkeys you will find anywhere.

'All pile on' is their moto.

We want you 'our discerning customers' to have the best cinema experience you can have, and yes sometimes we are that crammed that you have to queue, or the foyer will be dirty. This is purely because we are growing our market share year on year (the only UGC to do so). This is bucking the market trend and it's down to damn hard work.

Even though we have no serious competition (after we shut UCI down) we still operate as though we have another 20 screen cinema next door to us and we have to fight to retain every customer. This is why we are the best.

:)

Originally posted by cinemanager
the hardest working bunch of blue shirt wearing monkeys you will find anywhere.




thanks boss :rolleyes:

no problem you shaven headed monkey :D

I can feel the love between all UGC staff! I love ya all guys!

See next post

flesh_eater:

You should brush up on the T&Cs regarding personal attacks and behavior.
If the arguments dont stop, then im gonna have no choice but to close this thread down.

As for my opinion of UGC, its the best we've got and the staff are usually friendly.

Nice big screens too

hey RPG,

how's the weather this fine evening?

It's not an argument its a disucssion.. Hotty made some slanderous accusations... were putting him right :suspect:

Originally posted by RPG
flesh_eater:

You should brush up on the T&Cs regarding personal attacks and behavior.
If the arguments dont stop, then im gonna have no choice but to close this thread down.

As for my opinion of UGC, its the best we've got and the staff are usually friendly.

Nice big screens too

Cheers

The staff will always be friendly if you are friendly to them :D

ahhh but i forgot what i said now maybe you could quote it here so we'll all know what not to say in our quest to educate

ok i confess i work for UGC the staff there are some of the best people i've ever worked with. when the pressure is on when we've got 8000+ people we all do our best to get our served as quickly as we can. we know what's it like to queue there we don't push in. Any one who remembers the cinema before we had the refit will know what queuing used to be like and they was no unlimited dedecated till. how many of you remember the classic cinema in town or the gaumount or the abc(cannon) you had to queue outside.
Judging by the post on this topic we're all cinema fans and with the film out this year things can only get better (Fantastic Four anyone).

Well said Stooby.. and I cant wait for FF!! :clap:

I prefered it when it was Virgin cinema TBH, I dunno why though :confused:

Im waiting for Revenge of the Sith at the moment, what a film thats going to be!

And the 3 war of the worlds flicks out soon

Its up to Cineworld now to make us as good as Virgin was (Bring back level 3 Self Serve and the restaurant I say)..

Ep. III will be a disappointment.. Charlie & The Choc. Factory should be great :D

And of course we need the Movie Store back...

RIP

lol

could you bring back butter for the popcorn, I don't like it salted.

UGC - absolutely hate the place. Dirty, crap overpriced "food", poorly maintained and don't get me started on the feral scum that seem to populate the place and take offence if someone dares to ask them to stop playing with a gameboy when sitting next to you.
A shame as this place was wonderful when first opened as a Virgin cinema, restaurant was also the best place around there to eat.

Agree Odeon is awful so its only the Showroom for me these days given the choice.

Showroom are welcome to you.

UGC > Odeon.

Cheaper and easier to get to... And cheaper than Odeon, for me anyway as I get in for £2.95 with my disabled bus pass.

The UGC alliance are preparing to rise and quash all naysayers against their hallowed cinema.

As i said all along, like somethings, dislike somethings. I still go as i like the 9.99 unlimited and think the front of house staff are all fine and dandy. never even mentioned queueing - its an inevitable problem any popular cinema has, would say that UGC are better than others on this count with their UGC card holders till... well done!! - guess you must just have guilt complex about whole qing thing. don't. its ok.

Originally posted by AndyC123
It's not an argument its a disucssion.. Hotty made some slanderous accusations... were putting him right :suspect:

slanderous accusations? calling me names like moron and whatever flesh_eater was on about. as i fight back the tears i have to ask, do you really mind if i form my own opinions? you guys work there and love it. good for you. keep up the good work and continue with the whole love in thing you guys have got going here - its cute. i like doing what i do but at end of day I don't rip into anyone who thinks the place i work is shoddy cos i know thats their own opinoin that they are entitled to bless em.

Finally, Fantastic Four - cannot wait for that apart from welsh boy grufford as Mr Fantastic. Michael Chiklis will be great as Ben Grimm/ The Thing tho. Ep III should be better than Ep II and AndyC is right about CC and the choc fact. Burton rocks!

What was the self serve thing on level 3? don't remember that or the restaurant. What were they like?

The restaurant was on the ground floor on your left as you entered the building, it offered a varied menu, but it was really billed as a fish restaurant.

Virgin started it, UGC didn'y like it so closed it.

3rd floor had a milk bar and a small concessions stand. These too were shut down as they are unecessary (spelt rong)

Were not trying to squash all naysayers (whatever they are), but we don't like people knocking the place especially if they don't really have any valid points to make.

I personally don't like the 'cute' and 'bless em' remarks you make, is this to make you sound superior or more intelligent, cos it's neither.

Just about the only bad thing I can say about the UGC is that the "cheese" stuff that goes with the nachos is absolutely gross!

I don't think the Showroom is really a competitor as such, because it shows a different kind of film. Nothing wrong with that, either.

each time the new Star Wars film come out we think it going to be fantastic to be let down i only hope this time we will get the film we want. As to Charlie and the Choc Factory it will rock i'm not sure about war of the worlds yet

Originally posted by Greenback
Just about the only bad thing I can say about the UGC is that the "cheese" stuff is actually radioactive bile

So true so true.

Personally I can't wait for Chronicles of Narnia

forgot about that one looking forward to it to i remember when they read the first book on jackaory. another film i'm exited about hitchhikers

Originally posted by cinemanager

I personally don't like the 'cute' and 'bless em' remarks you make, is this to make you sound superior or more intelligent, cos it's neither.
ARRRGHHHH! please stop turning everything into an argument. this is just the way that i write. Thanks for the other info though (about the restaurant & that). Milk bar does sound a bit OTT - was it based on Clockwork Orange style milk bars?

I love UGC cinema, the best by far in the UK.

cinemanager, you need to remember who the customers are, even if they are moaning at you... its your job to make things right. not humilate them.


**PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THIS LINE**

Remember who pays your wages..

we do know that and i'd like to thank the million plus people we have though our doors that make us one of the most successful cinema in the uk or dare i say world. Not bad for a out of city center cinema. WE ROCK.

Originally posted by 1andonlystu
we do know that and i'd like to thank the million plus people we have though our doors that make us one of the most successful cinema in the uk or dare i say world. Not bad for a out of city center cinema. WE ROCK.

Last year it was approx 1.5 million crustomers.

Gazza, please read my big long ramble and you will see that I do know who our customers are as we strive to make it THE best cinema evarrrrr.

Hotty, chill man ;) you started it with the '5 reasons why UGC sucks' remember

We went last week to see Spongebob The Movie.
A great day marred only by the scandlous price of food.
£8 for 1 tub of tasteless dry popcorn & 2 cokes.

S C A N D E L O U S I say!:rant:

why did you go for large everything then?

were you forced?

sorry your day was marred, are you feeling better now.

We did try selling wet popcorn but it soaks through the cardboard tubs see.

I can never quite understand why people buy the stuff then think it's ruined there whole evening, it's ridiculous.

A cinema is a business much like every other retail outlet in the world, we have to make a profit in order to stay open, thats how business works.

Don't like the prices, don't buy. Easy as that.

When you stop selling food in cinemas that's when I'll start going back.


The stench of food ruins any atmosphere, you are always aware that you are in a cinema.

The noise of people eating said food ruins any atmosphere, unless it's a film about fat noisy people eating food.

The sticky carpets where said fat noisy people have missed their mouths, how is that possible, make walking in cinemas unpleasant.

The constant to-ing and fro-ing of fat noisy people on their way to fetch more food disturbs any atmosphere which may have crept in despite the fat noisy people's attempts to prevent it.

Originally posted by max



The noise of people eating said food ruins any atmosphere, unless it's a film about fat noisy people eating food.



PMSL

you a funny man.

I can see your house now, everything lined up nice and straight, tissue paper boxes everywhere for the door handles in case of germs. Do you go out with a paper surgeons mask on too like Michael Jackson, cos he won't go into 'dirty' cinemas either. :D

Sticky carpets? What 'kind' of cinemas are you used to going to? wink wink

I do think that UGC is probably the best of a bad bunch, and I often enjoy going there, but it is nothing like it used to be... all the features that people have mentioned that have been lost really made going an experience.

It now seems to be pretty much like any other movie theatre, and if the managers development skills are on a par with his public relation skills, I can see why.

UGC has focused on what is important over the last 3 years.

FILM

That is what they wanted to do when they took over from Virgin. As Branson had set up too many 'frilly' options to the cinema going experience.

This is why UGC has grown up to be one of the strongest cinema chains in terms of market share.

What we offer (leg room, film choice, great atmosphere) still knocks most cinemas into a cocked hat, that is why we you will continue to come to us.

Originally posted by cinemanager
UGC has focused on what is important over the last 3 years.

FILM

That is what they wanted to do when they took over from Virgin. As Branson had set up too many 'frilly' options to the cinema going experience.

This is why UGC has grown up to be one of the strongest cinema chains in terms of market share.

What we offer (leg room, film choice, great atmosphere) still knocks most cinemas into a cocked hat, that is why we you will continue to come to us.

And yet you still abuse your potential audience. How odd. Is this another example of dumbing down services to appeal to the lowest common denominator?

Clean up your act, make cinemas more attractive and you may get people back.

Edit: Oops, just seen your avatar, didn't mean to insult you.

Basically like saying 'for your convenience (love that phrase :rolleyes:) we have taken all the fun out of the movie-going experience, and cut our costs, while still maintaining the ticket prices'.

Sadly, that is just a buzz phrase 'its all about FILM'.

It's rubbish, it isn't all about the film, its about the experience, and that is what is missing from these large chains. Look at the time when most people watched films in the cinema, there were competitions, prizes, the ushers wore real uniforms and were polite, and the places were like palaces, not a barn with a screen. That is obviously what people really wanted, it didn't matter so much what the film was, they enjoyed the experience, it was a night out.

I know times change, but don't pretend that large companies like UGC do things for our benefit, when they really do whatever is most cost-effective to them... and like I said before, this is coming from someone who really quite likes UGC.

Just because you like UGC doesn't mean you are necessarily right!!!!

I started to work at UGC because I loved that particular cinema so much... They have their priorities spot on with seating, etc... You can sit anywhere you like in the screen and still not have your view marred by people's heads, you have loads of leg room and the seats aren't those fold-down ones yousee elsewhere. If a company were so money driven, they would want to maximise the capacity of their screens by having little leg room, fold down seats... and they wouldn't put on films such as Napoleon Dynamite or 2046 that other mainstream cinemas dont put on.

We are all very nice people at UGC, and I personally would go out of my way to help any customer there! But some people take the absolute p*ss out of us... over the last 2 weeks I've had to sort out a sh*tty toilet where someone had not only not bothered to flush the chain but got all the soiled bog roll all over the floor, I've picked up and consequently put my finger in a cup of urine where someone couldn't be bothered to go out to the loo... and cleaned up numerous lots of vomit.

At the end of the day, we are there to make your day at the cinema as easy and stress-free as possible, but in no circumstances am I anybody's servant!!!

Don't take what is said on this forum as the gospel, we aren't at work now and are just defending the place that we are so proud about

Originally posted by Snook
Basically like saying 'for your convenience (love that phrase :rolleyes:) we have taken all the fun out of the movie-going experience, and cut our costs, while still maintaining the ticket prices'.

Sadly, that is just a buzz phrase 'its all about FILM'.

It's rubbish, it isn't all about the film, its about the experience, and that is what is missing from these large chains. Look at the time when most people watched films in the cinema, there were competitions, prizes, the ushers wore real uniforms and were polite, and the places were like palaces, not a barn with a screen. That is obviously what people really wanted, it didn't matter so much what the film was, they enjoyed the experience, it was a night out.

I know times change, but don't pretend that large companies like UGC do things for our benefit, when they really do whatever is most cost-effective to them... and like I said before, this is coming from someone who really quite likes UGC.

what you don't seem to grasp is that it is because UGC trimmed down what they offer 'within' each cinema that they can now focus on film. I can tell you that the distributors have taken hold of what we are doing, especially with the Unlimited card and are working with us. We can give the distributors more market share by focusing on independent films and not just blockbusters.

We actually lose money on Unlimited cards, but they make up a solid core of audience which still come even though there isn't any blockbuster crap to watch. This is what makes us a cut above everyone else. This is why we are focused on film more than any other chain.

What potential audience are you refering to?

I don't expect you guys to know what UGC is really about, and we can debate it one here till we're all blue in the face. But I will guarantee you that FILM is what we do focus on, and it's because we want you to be able to see a wider choice of film than any other chain offers, this is what nakes us unique.

I have been to many many film meetings with distruibutors and they are over the moon that UGC not only focus on non-mainstream films but actually deliver the goods when we say we will.

We are now in the 21st Century and we have to give what the audience want, big screens, great seating, plenty of film/time choice. But you know what, you can't please all the people all of the time can you.

Again, a cinema is a business always has been always will be.

I am happy that you enjoy coming to UGC, and we all welcome you as our guests.

Originally posted by max


Clean up your act, make cinemas more attractive and you may get people back.



How much more attractive do you want us to be?

Originally posted by cinemanager
How much more attractive do you want us to be?

Stop concentrating on the film and look at the cinema going experience holistically. If people want to eat smelly, noisy food let them do it in the foyer. Stop people bringing food into the auditorium and you'll improve the experience for the rest of us who can distinguish between a cinema and a restaurant, imo.

Originally posted by cinemanager
what you don't seem to grasp is that it is because UGC trimmed down what they offer 'within' each cinema that they can now focus on film. I can tell you that the distributors have taken hold of what we are doing, especially with the Unlimited card and are working with us. We can give the distributors more market share by focusing on independent films and not just blockbusters.

We actually lose money on Unlimited cards, but they make up a solid core of audience which still come even though there isn't any blockbuster crap to watch. This is what makes us a cut above everyone else. This is why we are focused on film more than any other chain.

What potential audience are you referring to?

I don't expect you guys to know what UGC is really about, and we can debate it one here till we're all blue in the face. But I will guarantee you that FILM is what we do focus on, and it's because we want you to be able to see a wider choice of film than any other chain offers, this is what nakes us unique.

I have been to many many film meetings with distruibutors and they are over the moon that UGC not only focus on non-mainstream films but actually deliver the goods when we say we will.

We are now in the 21st Century and we have to give what the audience want, big screens, great seating, plenty of film/time choice. But you know what, you can't please all the people all of the time can you.

Again, a cinema is a business always has been always will be.

I am happy that you enjoy coming to UGC, and we all welcome you as our guests.

Well, we aren't so much your guests as paying customers. You make it sound like we should be grateful you let us through the doors.

You can say that FILM is what is important as many times as you want, bless, and you were probably told that on your week long managerial course, but (sorry to shatter your dream here) it isn't... profit is king. If it was PROFITABLE to have a restaurant and gift shop and all the other things, they would still be there... screw the films.

I don't mind that these things were taken away to raise the profit margins, but don't insult me by telling me it was done for my good, and the good of FILM. And yes, I think you do want to show a wider range of films, because in recent years you have seen a growth in the market share to indie theatres, and you want a cut. You might not understand these things, as you are a man on the ground, but that is the motivation behind the people in charge of your company, trust me.

see if UGC cared about their customers they would employ more staff and train them properly. Pay them more and you get more intellegent staff who would be more likely to work.

It's nothing to do with caring about FILM or the punters its all about cramming the most people into the most films efficiently.

Originally posted by max
Stop concentrating on the film and look at the cinema going experience holistically. If people want to eat smelly, noisy food let them do it in the foyer. Stop people bringing food into the auditorium and you'll improve the experience for the rest of us who can distinguish between a cinema and a restaurant, imo.

the things that winds me up the most when i goto the cinema - is people that whinge about everthing !

Its people that buy food that keep the prices of your ticket down, rember that.

Originally posted by Gazza
the things that winds me up the most when i goto the cinema - is people that whinge about everthing !

Its people that buy food that keep the prices of your ticket down, rember that.

I don't have a problem with people buying food, read my posts, it's eating it in the auditorium that's the problem.

(What I do have a problem with is poor grammar and spelling but that's for another thread.)

Thank you for keeping the ticket prices down but if you, again, read my posts you'd see that I rarely go to the cinema due to it being such a poor experience so it's rather wasted on me, don't you think?

lets get back to the central issue.
When can I get hot butter on my popcorn again?

What shocks me most about this thread, and I don't know if anyone else has picked up on this ...

Is the bullish (we don't care about our customers) attitude of the management (assuming of course, that they actually are who they seem to be).

I would have thought it way more productive to listen to, and take on board people's comments and complaints ... in order to provide a better service.

Just goes to show what I know about management !!

I've been going to the UGC for many years, and it has been going steadily down hill for some time now.

from what I know of UGC management it sounds about right.

they believe what they are told.

Originally posted by max
I don't have a problem with people buying food, read my posts, it's eating it in the auditorium that's the problem.

Thank you for keeping the ticket prices down but if you, again, read my posts you'd see that I rarely go to the cinema due to it being such a poor experience so it's rather wasted on me, don't you think?

I wonder if there'd be a market for a cinema with no fast food, a proper restaurant/coffee bar, bigger seats and double-price tickets. I know I'd go if it wasn't going to be full of noisy teens and fidgety, squawking toddlers.

Originally posted by Strix
I know I'd go if it wasn't going to be full of noisy teens and fidgety, squawking toddlers.

I know... why don't we only show 18 rated films then lol

that'll be fun!!!

Originally posted by Strix
I wonder if there'd be a market for a cinema with no fast food, a proper restaurant/coffee bar, bigger seats and double-price tickets. I know I'd go if it wasn't going to be full of noisy teens and fidgety, squawking toddlers.

Don't want to sound like the UGC PR man, but I think they have 'premier' seats which have their own devoted bar and reclining seats. Watching films in more comfort, as you describe, is something that's definitely going to become more widespread I think; look at the Filmworks in Manchester, with their superb private viewing room, for proof.

On the topic of film, if you like indie movies as I do, then the UGC Sheffield is a really good alternative to the Showroom. No real complaints here, but maybe that's because I like to visit at 11.00am on a Sunday morning so I can get a discounted ticket and have the entire auditorium to myself :D

Jamie- It's easy for you all to slag off cinemanager (and he is a real operations manager at UGC by the way) but do any of you actually have ANY experience of running a cinema?? thought not.

It's all you old fossils that are change resistant. Who the hell wants to have competitions and prizes when you go to watch a film these days?? Go to a sodding fairground for all that!

Greenback- UGC scrapped the prem section years ago. The bar and lounge is now a staff only area ;) and the prem screen are just regular screens, that generally show the more alternative films.

And as for whoever made the stupid comment about more intelligent staff.. what?! The majority of the staff there are university students (you know the people that will run the country when the rest of you retire), or have other jobs elsewhere!

In my experience the customer relations is the best I've seen for a long time, because frankly.. some of the customers are whinging morons who are stuck in the past and make ludicrous complaints every time they come (notice the fact they KEEP coming back as mentioned lots of times before). It is these customers that can take along walk off a short cliff because they are totally unprofitable in every way, and would make all our lives a lot more pleasant by going to live in a cave somewhere.
A lot of the times, it is their own fault that the complaint arose anyway because they couldnt be bothered to get off their arses and tell somebody!

And as for Max's coment on the eating.. oh my god, you want to stop people eating in the screens??? While were at it, we may aswell stop people drinking alcohol in the bar too!
It's a tradition that has survived the decades! Plus most of the noisy eating such as nachos etc is done during the trailers (by the fat people you mentioned.. hmm no discrimination there then?!) and the comment on the avatar.. priceless!!
Anyway the point is- no food=no cinema, as every last one in the country would shut down in a heap of debt. The majority of people want to munch snacks while they watch a film, not while thet are in the foyer!

I think the smell of freshly cooked popcorn is the best thing for the atmosphere!

It's strange...I love the smell of popcorn, but hate eating the stuff!

Anyway, just as a quick note to all those who have risen up to criticise the PR skills of the management, and the non-caring attitude towards the customers who are 'raising points' that should be taken on board....

The management responded politely to the criticisms from Hotty, despite being called 'dead baboons'. Since then, everyone has jumped on 'cinemamanager' to poke at his responses.

What he said was, at heart, true...cinema is, at the core, about FILM. The experience of going is secondary. The food is overpriced as, at the end of the day, it is a business. UGC show indie films not to 'cash in' on the current wave of popularity of indie....but becasue UGC are a French company, and the French philosophy of 'all product type' was adopted across the chain here. Look at UGC support of the Asian Extreme releases over the past 3 years. Check out who funded Amelie (and also Delicatesen many years before UGC came to this shore). Hopefully, now that UGC have promoted indie and foreign films to a megaplex audience in this country, Cineworld will continue.

To me the customer is vital to the cinema, and I (yes, I too am a UGC-ite) look to make their experience as welcoming as possible. Sometimes it is hard to keep the focus, as we try to chase problem elements around the site (be they screenjumpers, or people who think Self Serve means to literally help yourself). Trust me, we do our utmost to make your experience a good one. We hope all our staff are being pleasant and welcoming, and it is good to see that most of you (even the cirtics who refer to us suited ones as baboons) do think this. We must be doing something right. The team members are our direct point of contact with you, the customer, thus for them to be giving this positive attitude to you can only be a plus.

As Cinemamanager said, if you find a fault, let us know. We aren't scarey, and we do want you to get the best experience from the film you have come to see. Believe it or not, we love films ourselves, and often find ourselves, on our day off, policing screens when we too find some moron with a mobile phone, or that group who always sit on seat W1 to W5 in screen 7 chatting away.

We may look a bit tired and grumpy at times, but we will listen. We probably look that way because we have just thrown out a group of 7 disruptive 17 year olds, and are pondering the death threat we were just given.

Now, don't get me wrong here. Whilst I am kind of upset at some of the jibes at our staff (unintelligent etc), I don't condone the flipside responses made having a go back. That is not what myself, or Cinemamanager, want to happen. It's just a way of forums that people get very hot under the collar, and it is tricky to actually emphasise the emotion you mean behind the comments (Hotty even said that the comments used by himself were not meant sarcastically, it was just the way he speaks). Hence my own signature below (sort of a disclaimer, like those 'any person living or dead' things at the end of films.)

Finally (and I promise, I'll stop typing after this), although it was a shame to see the movie store and restaurant, and even the upstairs Self Serve, go, fact was The Movie Store was overpriced (it couldn't compete with HMV etc) so no one bought anything, and upstairs Self Serve used to take less money than the cost of manning it for the day, so was cut back. I would love to see a restaurant (or coffee bar) replace the old restaurant area, and we have had various parties looking into the space. Fingers crossed (again) that Cineworld will look into it.

This is a time of change (sorry..I know I promised to shut up, but as all my collegues will attest, that's not always easy!) for the cinema, I just hope that over the coming months we can continue to strive to deliver levels of service which are more than acceptable for the majority of you. There will always be people who are never satisfied...that's just a fact of life....but for most of you, we will aim to deliver, just let us know on site if you have any comments (positive or negative).

Many thanks


A quick addition (told ya I never shut up)...I feel that the comment made by Leebo that the majority of customers are whingers was wrong. It feels that way at times, becasue they are the most vocal, but when we have 8000 per day over the weekend, only a small amount will whinge about anything (I assisted 2 today...out of 8000 is a small number). In fact I spoke and chatted, discussing films and having a joke with, much more people over the course of my shift, and find that the majority of our customers are great, and love to chat about what is coming out soon. There are some customers who look out for me when they come in to 'catch up on the latest happenings'.

Anyway...I definitely will stop now...no more editing! I promise ;)

whatever.... where is my butter?

you mean you actually WANT to fur up you're arteries with hot butter? :hihi:

Originally posted by Cyclone
whatever.... where is my butter?

Sorry....no one wants to answer you. As Worf said regarding the bumpy heads in an episode of DS9 (Trials and Tribbleations...damn I'm such a geek!) "It's very embarrasing!"

When the design of the tubs was changed from pre built to flat-pak (you may recall the old tubs were solid construction), it became apparant that they 'leaked'!

You see, because we 'pop the boxes' into shape, it leaves a crack at the base of the box. First few weeks of using them, and we had a few dry cleaning bills to settle as customers, with popcorn on their laps, found butter had soaked into their clothes. Oops! Design flaw!

It was never really that popular either, unfortunately, and for every portion of butter we would use, we would throw away 30. So, again, it was seen as non-profitable (I never deny that we are a business), and was abandoned completely instead of returning to pre-built boxes.

So, I say to you, Cyclone, that I am sorry that we can't give you butter. I am also sorry that it took this long for someone to tell you.

If you need a shoulder...I'm here dude. Let it out! ;)

damn.
it's a good reason.

But I don't have to like it.

If only there were a cinema left that offered butter, they could have my custom.

Instead, i'm blockbuster all the way, except when i need an immediate fix.

You could always go to a restaurant and nick loads of those soft butter portions. Then, when you get your popcorn, sit with popcorn on lap, take out portion and melt. For this I recommend a pair of tweezers to hold and unwrap the portion, and a zippo lighter. Simply heat up butter in the sealed wrapper with zippo, then carefully open up over the popcorn.

Admittedly you would probably get warned for trying to set fire to teh screens...and in a worse case scenario you could set your popcorn on fire, and create mass panic as the fire alarm goes off....but hey...it's an addiction! ;)

Okay, the 'baboon' thing was a little harsh.

Are there no disgruntled UGC employees? Does everyone who work there absolutely love it? What about that girl who serves on the cash desk during the day who always looks like she is bored out of her mind?

Originally posted by Cyclone
damn.
it's a good reason.

But I don't have to like it.

If only there were a cinema left that offered butter, they could have my custom.

Instead, i'm blockbuster all the way, except when i need an immediate fix.

I know!!! The only cinemas I have seen this in, in the past few years are ones in US and Canada. The Prince Charles in Leicester Square have little sachets if you ask for them. The commute is a bi*ch though.

Originally posted by AndyC123
In my experience the customer relations is the best I've seen for a long time, because frankly.. at lot of the customers are whinging morons (present company included) who are stuck in the past and make ludicrous complaints every time they come (notice the fact they KEEP coming back as mentioned lots of times before). It is these customers that can take along walk off a short cliff because they are totally unprofitable in every way, and would make all our lives a lot more pleasant by going to live in a cave somewhere.
A lot of the times, it is their own fault that the complaint arose anyway because they couldnt be bothered to get off their arses and tell somebody!


You should email this to UGC customer services! I'm sure they'll love the way you are ridiculing their customers on a public forum.

1 thing i do agree with that always makes me laugh is when there is a problem with screen/projection/sound etc and everyone in the cinema sits there waiting for someone else to go. you sit. you wait. i feel like cheering when someone stands, huffs and then makes their way to the foyer. i never go. spineless ya see. scared of the UGC staff. especially now. they don't take criticism lightly!

Is UGC some kind of cult or something? I thought all the people who work there would hate their job (given the looks on their faces) but it seems they love the company and hate the customers... this is a very strange training process that they have.

The experience of going is secondary.

frankly.. at lot of the customers are whinging morons (present company included)

The thing about FILM (I bet UGC enourage you to write it in capitals, don't they?) being first just makes me laugh. I know one of the people who works there has got a film degree... that person at least must admit that UGC couldn't give a rats ass about FILM, but rather about profit... And as said, the customers experience comes second.

On the other point, if most of your customers are 'whinging morons' then I would suggest that you are not doing a very good job. Of course they come back, there isn't much choice for watching films is there (although a great deal stay away completely, or go to one of the other cinemas) but that doesn't mean you offer a good service.

Good service and an enjoyable experience would mean less whinging customers (present company included) but it would also mean less profit for the shareholders... so it won't happen. It'd also mean they'd have to pay you better wages, so that they wouldn't have to use students who need beer money, or people with other jobs, as you pointed out.

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
You should email this to UGC customer services! I'm sure they'll love the way you are ridiculing their customers on a public forum.

I thought that was a good point, so I emailed them to complain about being insulted by their staff and sent them a link to this thread. I doubt they'd care, but they should really work on their customer service.

actually, I have another one in addition to butter.

Why am I charged more for booking online with a credit card.

It makes life easier for the cinema (no queuing for me) and for me (no queuing). So it should cost 50p less, not 50p more.

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
Okay, the 'baboon' thing was a little harsh.

Are there no disgruntled UGC employees? Does everyone who work there absolutely love it? What about that girl who serves on the cash desk during the day who always looks like she is bored out of her mind?

Ok, so being on during the day can be quite a mind-numbing experience, due to the fact that there usually aren't many staff on to chat too, plus it can be totally dead! If you were sat on the box office all on your lonesome, doing not a lot for 6 hours..wouldn't you look rather bored? lol.
I'm pretty damn sure that pretty much every employee at the UGC really enjoys working there. We have a great team bond & we get along with all our managers exceptionally well, and we are not afraid to let them know if we are unhappy about anything, thus the problem is sorted ASAP & we are all happy bunnies once again!

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
Okay, the 'baboon' thing was a little harsh.

Are there no disgruntled UGC employees? Does everyone who work there absolutely love it? What about that girl who serves on the cash desk during the day who always looks like she is bored out of her mind?

As with any job, there are some who are just doing it for the cash, and would get another job at the drop of a hat if it was offered. However, there are quite a large number of us who are committed to the cinema (some would say we should be committed...but that's another story), and a fair number who are not students, and only have this as our only source of income (self included)....and we're not stupid either as most of us are ex-students anyway who found a job that we enjoy.

That girl on the cash desk in the day who looks bored out of her mind possibly is, as we get hardly any customers in the day. We'll try to get her to smile more....I promise ;) She may look bored, but she's really friendly if you chat to her. I promise...she doesn't bite.


Cheers to Snook for e-mailing our customer services. Hopefully they will take note when you said that they 'couldn't give a rats ass about film' and should pay us better wages to get better staff. I could do with a payrise. Bills to pay and stuff.

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Cheers to Snook for e-mailing our customer services. Hopefully they will take note when you said that they 'couldn't give a rats ass about film' and should pay us better wages to get better staff. I could do with a payrise. Bills to pay and stuff.

I bet you could do with a payrise in that job. I'm sure that they live in the real world and accept that they don't really care about film, but rather money. That's why it isn't good business to **** off the customers.

Working at UGC sounds like one big party! :banana:

Guess six hours sat behind a till would depress the cheeriest of us. Know that she is happy in real life because if you make smalltalk at the till, she smalltalks back and you can have a bit of a giggle. We were chatting to another girl at cash desk the other night and she kept making mistakes cos she was v tired. Had a bit of a joke with her and she perked up and gave us tickets to The Life Aqautic preview tomorrow. Very nice young lady indeed.
:clap:

Originally posted by HottyMcBuff
Working at UGC sounds like one big party! :banana:

Guess six hours sat behind a till would depress the cheeriest of us. Know that she is happy in real life because if you make smalltalk at the till, she smalltalks back and you can have a bit of a giggle. We were chatting to another girl at cash desk the other night and she kept making mistakes cos she was v tired. Had a bit of a joke with her and she perked up and gave us tickets to The Life Aqautic preview tomorrow. Very nice young lady indeed.
:clap:

Think I know who you were talking about there. I'll tell her you said she was nice.

Let us know what you think of Life Aquatic...I'm watching it on Wednsesday. (Really looking forward to it)

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Think I know who you were talking about there. I'll tell her you said she was nice.

Let us know what you think of Life Aquatic...I'm watching it on Wednsesday. (Really looking forward to it)

Yeah looks good. Rushmore is one of my v fave films ever.

Also, what you said earlier about Asain Extreme films - I did bring that up earlier in thread as a major plus point for your cinema chain. Shame they are not more popular and /or publicised as, especially recently, some of the best films around have orginated in the far east or South Korea (Old Boy rocked! - 'What I am isn't important. WHY is important.' arrrggghhh the geek in me is breaking out!!! :twisted:

Yay...someone who saw Rushmore! It astounds me how many people didn't see this gem of a film. It is our duty to make them watch it!

All foreign films suffer from the attitude of "I'm not bloody reading a book!" which we get a lot of the time. The hassle Hero caused was stunning! People saw the 'Quentin Tarantino Presents' and then were astounded when we said it was subtitled!

We try to publicise them as much as we can, but are limited by the support from the distributers of said films who (due to them only seeming to have a limited audience) are reluctant to spend too much to promote them. They hope that word of mouth will bring people in.

It's their loss, I suppose, as people like that can only have the US versions of The Ring and The Grudge, and will never see what the REAL versions are like.

Speaking of The Grudge...Grudge 2 (Japanese) is due out over here in a few months. Fingers crossed we will be showing it! Also The Eye 2 should be heading our way in the spring.

My main point was that if you employed more staff (which they need) took on full time staff (not just mainly p/t) and paid a higher wage you would get people who cared about their job a lot more.

Let's be frank, clearing up all that horrible food off the floor of a cinema in the 2 minutes they have to do it is a horrible job. Sitting at a ticket desk with hundreds queueing and dealing with ignoarant and obnoxious customers at times (yes, someone asked what The Passion ofn Christ was about) is a cack job.

I'd personally love to go and watch indie/foreign films there (the screens are far superior to the Showroom) but the problem is I wont chance it. With the £9.99 card you get randoms in films have'nt a clue what they are about (people getting upset becasue Supersize Me was a documentary for example)

I will not risk a film being ruined by kids or morons because I know that if any appear in a foreign film and don't like it they wont just leave. They will sit there and talk and play with their mobiles for the entire film. (Or in the case of Bandits leave with 30 minutes to go because a lot of people were going to kick their heads in)

This is a problem with UGC. Because it's a big consumerist exercise in getting large numbers into the best screens in Sheffied you attract the clientele you do not want. Due to the UGC monthly thing you get a lot of little scallies going because it's free (after the card has been payed for)

I hate going to watch films there (as I do the Odeon too) becasue my film often get ruined or spoiled by idiots. Now the big problem for me is that the people who talk in movies are not just opne defined group. I find that several different groups tend to be prone to talking including girls, chavs and students.

See a lot of my gripes with UGC would be the same with any large cinema complex. People don't seem to have any respect these days and therefore feel that they can talk or chatter through films. It is a lack of manners, common sense and respect.

As for the response of Cinemaster. My problem with it is that he was telling us what we shoudl believe. Making him in my book incapable of being good at his job. The art of customer management is listening and acting upon concerns. It is not lecturing your client's on what they should think.

And as for UGC employing a lot of students and therefore having good staff. Very funny. A lot of students would be the last people they'd want working p/t for them. In fact, a lot of large companies will not employ students straight out of uni now.

Most of UGC staff are helpful and a few are knowledgeable. However, imo, The Showroom staff are much more articulate, friendly and helpful. UGC does not seem to care about having good staff members or training people properly. I suppose it is a lot of money to spend on a high staff turnover.

Complaining customers seem to be the minority. There are the scumbags (sex in films, urinating in cups etc) and parents who let their kids eat sweats until they are sick. Often the problem is that they wont complain during a film to get the problem sorted out.

But, the suggestion that UGC cares about FILM more than money considerations is garbage imo. If that were the case they would not sell food (or allow it in a cinema)

Originally posted by robbie
And as for UGC employing a lot of students and therefore having good staff. Very funny. A lot of students would be the last people they'd want working p/t for them. In fact, a lot of large companies will not employ students straight out of uni now.

Why is it funny that UGC employ students??? I personally am a student and I see myself as one of the most dedicated and diligent people there. I seem to recall debating this point with you before Robbie: being a student doesn't immediately make us a bunch of skyvers and morons, there are some of us that are and some that aren't!!! FYI, the people that are the slackest on my department (naming no names) tend to be the veteran workers at UGC, and Sheffield natives!!!

On to another point you made...

"Often the problem is that they wont complain during a film to get the problem sorted out."

This is exactly right!!! If there is a problem in the screen or anywhere in the cinema, customers only have to inform a member of staff and it will be sorted. Whether this be a technical/projection issue (which I assure you is nowhere near 70% of the time Hotty), people talking in screens, or a messy toilet. No customer complaint is ignored, and if a team member can't deal with it, a manager will be radioed to deal with it.

Originally posted by Leebo84
Why is it funny that UGC employ students??? I personally am a student and I see myself as one of the most dedicated and diligent people there. I seem to recall debating this point with you before Robbie: being a student doesn't immediately make us a bunch of skyvers and morons, there are some of us that are and some that aren't!!! FYI, the people that are the slackest on my department (naming no names) tend to be the veteran workers at UGC, and Sheffield natives!!!

On to another point you made...

"Often the problem is that they wont complain during a film to get the problem sorted out."

This is exactly right!!! If there is a problem in the screen or anywhere in the cinema, customers only have to inform a member of staff and it will be sorted. Whether this be a technical/projection issue (which I assure you is nowhere near 70% of the time Hotty), people talking in screens, or a messy toilet. No customer complaint is ignored, and if a team member can't deal with it, a manager will be radioed to deal with it.

Don't mind them, it's the "thing" on here to slag off and generally hate students :loopy:

I however don't hate students, having been one myself in the past.

What noise and disruption do students make that is not made by other people of the same age group that do not attend university?

'damn those students in the third row critically analysing the blackly comic, romantic sub plot and comparing it to fellini's 8 1/2. Why can't they just shut up?'

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Leebo84
[B]Why is it funny that UGC employ students??? I personally am a student and I see myself as one of the most dedicated and diligent people there. I seem to recall debating this point with you before Robbie: being a student doesn't immediately make us a bunch of skyvers and morons, there are some of us that are and some that aren't!!! FYI, the people that are the slackest on my department (naming no names) tend to be the veteran workers at UGC, and Sheffield natives!!!

a previous poster was trying to say that UGC staff are good becasue they are students. I was trying to say that just because someone is a student it doesn't mean that they are helpful, intellegent or hard working.

Originally posted by Sal22
What noise and disruption do students make that is not made by other people of the same age group that do not attend university?

'damn those students in the third row critically analysing the blackly comic, romantic sub plot and comparing it to fellini's 8 1/2. Why can't they just shut up?'

I often nip off work early and go in the afternoon. There are often students in there and they enjoy taking in the film. Especially female students.

I suspect ignorance is the reason but I'm simply saying what I have experienced.

Originally posted by Sal22
What noise and disruption do students make that is not made by other people of the same age group that do not attend university?

'damn those students in the third row critically analysing the blackly comic, romantic sub plot and comparing it to fellini's 8 1/2. Why can't they just shut up?'

Post of the week that one :lol: Classic.

You kow what, I really can't be bothered with this anymore because people are going round in circles.
I never said the fact that UGC employs a lot of students is a purely positive point, but it has many many advantages from several different viewpoints. Also having part timers isn't always negative, as spending less time there makes some people appreciate and feel more positive about their job whilst they are there.

I think the e-mail to customer services was hilarious! Hopefully they will read what you have said about them (as employees), laugh, and not even dignify it with a response.

Originally posted by Snook
Is UGC some kind of cult or something? I thought all the people who work there would hate their job (given the looks on their faces) but it seems they love the company and hate the customers... this is a very strange training process that they have.





The thing about FILM (I bet UGC enourage you to write it in capitals, don't they?) being first just makes me laugh. I know one of the people who works there has got a film degree... that person at least must admit that UGC couldn't give a rats ass about FILM, but rather about profit... And as said, the customers experience comes second.

On the other point, if most of your customers are 'whinging morons' then I would suggest that you are not doing a very good job. Of course they come back, there isn't much choice for watching films is there (although a great deal stay away completely, or go to one of the other cinemas) but that doesn't mean you offer a good service.

Good service and an enjoyable experience would mean less whinging customers (present company included) but it would also mean less profit for the shareholders... so it won't happen. It'd also mean they'd have to pay you better wages, so that they wouldn't have to use students who need beer money, or people with other jobs, as you pointed out.

would it really hurt you to admit that some people may actually enjoy their jobs and actually care about the thing they company work for are selling, in this case FILM. I put that in capitals because that is what I have been told on my week long managemant course to do. ;)

I have clearly stated that UGC is a BUSINESS, and like all business's they want to make money/stay in business/be successful.

What is difficult to understand here?

I know I work for a faceless company, although I have met the new owner from Cineworld and he is a very nice man who has built Cineworld up from nothing, I still want to enjoy my job. If anyone at UGC didn't like their job they would leave.

No-one is forcing them to stay, but something is making them stay. It's called pride (you may call it something else and probably will) but thats fine it's your opinion after all.

I respect your opinion, but ask that you actually read some of the posts either from our staff or from other users of the cinema again as I have done and see if you still feel the same.

well sort the green line that runs down the middle racing stripes the bit where they start playing "walk this way"

anyone care to address the issue of why pre booking costs more rather than less?

i'll have a go but i'm not sure if i am right or not....

as with any form of credit card payment, the card company charges a fee, sometimes a set amount or a percentage of the sale.

i don't know UGC's stance on the ATMs but I'm thinking that the card booking fee will either be the fee that the card company charges UGC for each card transaction, or a fee to cover the cost of running the ATMs and IT/banking to support them.

But I don't know... just throwing a few ideas into the ring. I'm sure Beaker or Cinemanager could clear it up later....

The advance bookings section is a seperate company, who have their own costs and staff to pay. Thus they need a charge on the booking for themselves.

A stated earlier, the cost of a cinema ticket pays for the distributers (up to 75% of the ticket price) and the projection. It does not pay towards the staff cost of the cinema, the heating, the repairs, etc etc. Therefore the idea that pre-booked tickets would save us, as a company, money as we don't need the staff etc is incorrect.

So, the fee is the only way we can pay the additional company to process the tickets.

Hope that made sense (it was a late night last night and I'm still kinda groggy!)

makes some kind of sense.

But imagine if all tickets were bought online (or on the phone).
It would save you money, you wouldn't need to employ anyone to run the tills.

I imagine one of the major gripes people have with UGC is (usually) youngsters who have the unlimited pass and will watch anything as an excuse for getting together with their friends ...

They do not seem at all interested in 'FILM'. Only in being disruptive and making noise and doing what they can to spoil it for the rest of us.

Why don't you employ someone to go in to the auditorium and sit on the back seat (dressed as general public) ... just to keep an eye out for trouble makers and make sure they're either hushed up OR escorted from the premises by security and have their passes revoked.

Not being disruptive should also be part of the T&C's for the passes.

in theory a great idea but in practice not very practical!!! working on 20 screens showing simultaneously from 9am till 11pm (for arguments sake), that would be a hell of a lot of manpower for what you're actually getting out of it!!!

but yes i agree with you about people being noisy and disruptive!!!it is very difficult to police it coz when we check the screens, it's impossible to hear people talking over the noise of the film and they also tend to shut up when they see a member of staff walk in. if only people came out and made a complaint about them to the ticket-tearer, it would be sorted!!!

We do try to spot the potential problem elements prior to them going into the films, however it isn't always that easy as they don't always look like the a-typical problem element.

If you are sat in a screen, whilst the ads or trailers are on, and notice that a griup seem a little..disruptive, then pop out and let us know then and we can identify where they are, and will even issue the one and only warning before the main film to them. This way we know where to look when checking the screen, and will not hesitate to remove them if they are a problem.

We are here to help you enjoy your film going experience. We would love to man each screen, but as mentioned above, it isn't really practical. As I mentioned earlier I (and other staff) will police screens on our days off when we are trying to watch films ourselves. As film lovers we know what irritates you...it irritates us too.

In response to cyclone....yeah, I agree that if everyone prebooked then we would save money (or redirect it to maybe do what was mentioned above). When that day comes, it will be a blessing as we would be able to see our foyer once in a while! Can't see it happening though. But, yeah, makes sense.

it won't happen whilst ever there is a premium for pre booking.

But that way, we lose all the customers that like to pop in randomly on their way home from work or because they are in the area. Then there is the people that decide what film to watch when they get there and see what's on and at what time. I doubt it would work well to be honest.

I think intimidation works well with the troublesome youths... I was once working in non-uniform (got dragged in when went to watch a film) and some one came out to complain so I went and sat on the back row and just stared at them. They noticed me staring at them, and the radio in my hand and they just... shut up. Didn't have any more complaints after that
:D

Also if there is a few of us stood and a group come past, the odd glare lets them know that hey will be out if they start.. but it shouldn't have to come to this

I'm sure it is practical to do so (have a non-uniformed member of staff in the auditorium) ... it really boils down to economics ...

Would the benefit of policing the screens justify the cost !?

I can't answer that for you, but I think it certainly would be very good for customer relations ... which has to be a good thing.



A better (cheaper) idea would be to have someone in each auditorium for the first 10 mins of each film, but this time they should be able to asses if there's going to be any trouble or not.

If it looks like there will be, you can deal with it as you see best, if looks ok, the 'snoop' could just go on to the next film ...

Well apparently when floor was run by another manager, when a performance started staff used to walk up and down the aisles and just tell people to turn the phones off, stop talking etc and that worked well, but on a friday/saturday night we simply can't spare for staff to do that in every performance

Credit where its due,...

Myself and Hotty went to see Million Dollar Baby last night and it was a great visit to the cinema. Short queue for ticket. No limb amputation on door. Got good seats. Rest of audience seemed to be as involved in the film as I was. It was great. Even the adverts before the film were not shown (straight to trailers). Thought that only happened on previews.

And it was a great film. Twice as good as aviator.

But the escalator was broken!!!! ;)

hehe I was working on the top floor for a bit last night so I might have taken your ticket!!! what time showing you go to?

are you still operating the manic "films finish at the same time" policy? That seems like complete madness to me.

And maybe a few "rovers" who spend their time going in and out of different cinemas (you'd probably need 2 or 3) would help.

I know a lot of people who will not go to UGC or The Odeon because of the risk of the film being ruined.

It's a shame.

Originally posted by robbie
And maybe a few "rovers" who spend their time going in and out of different cinemas (you'd probably need 2 or 3) would help.

Very good idea, and if they spot any trouble, they can always radio in for help / security.

An even better idea would be to set up some kind of surveillance system, where you have hidden cameras in each cinema sending video back to a central location, where one person keeps a look out for problems ...

Originally posted by robbie
I know a lot of people who will not go to UGC or The Odeon because of the risk of the film being ruined.

I'm in this catagory too ... and I know of more and more people who avoid UGC because of this issue (which is a shame ... because the cinema itself is perfectly fine).

Originally posted by Sal22
Credit where its due,...

Myself and Hotty went to see Million Dollar Baby last night and it was a great visit to the cinema. Short queue for ticket. No limb amputation on door. Got good seats. Rest of audience seemed to be as involved in the film as I was. It was great. Even the adverts before the film were not shown (straight to trailers). Thought that only happened on previews.

And it was a great film. Twice as good as aviator.

But the escalator was broken!!!! ;)

Hotty should use his own log in and not mine!

Originally posted by Sal22
Credit where its due,...

Myself and Hotty went to see Million Dollar Baby last night and it was a great visit to the cinema. Short queue for ticket. No limb amputation on door. Got good seats. Rest of audience seemed to be as involved in the film as I was. It was great. Even the adverts before the film were not shown (straight to trailers). Thought that only happened on previews.

And it was a great film. Twice as good as aviator.

But the escalator was broken!!!! ;)

Thats great to hear. I was on last night....really quiet for a Sunday (I think the snow predictions put people off).

Sorry about the escalator...some show off decided to leap off the moving escalator on Saturday night, landing on the moving panels. The jolt froze the system and cut it out. Couldn't get it restarted and had to wait for maintenance to come out on Monday to fix it.

The escalator has recovered and is fine now people :D

Robbie: what do yo mean: "films finish at the same time" policy?? It's very rare that lots of films end at the same time.

And the 'rover', the floor team do screenchecks every 30-60 mins which are recorded (for audit purposes) in which we check fire exit signs, aisle lighting, picture, sound and look for any trouble in the audience. The trouble is when people see staff entering they shut up.

CCTV in the screens would no doubt violate SOME kind of regulation about recording equipment in the auditoria, even if it is for security purposes :rolleyes:
Plus it owuld be costly to install and man.

You keep talking about the 'risk' of a film been disrupted? Depending what time you go and what film to see, the 'risk' can be nearly zero. Besides: "Risk is part of the game if you want to sit in that chair." Theres a lower risk of me DYING if I take the tram to work, yet I still choose to drive. I think you are being too over cautious. Plus if anything does happen you can complain and try to wangle a refund!

;)

Originally posted by AndyC123

CCTV in the screens would no doubt violate SOME kind of regulation about recording equipment in the auditoria, even if it is for security purposes :rolleyes:
Plus it owuld be costly to install and man.


Surely not if its facing the room? IE. ontop of the screen

Wel thats what we've said before, but I guess it just boils down to cost and inconvenience of fitting them. You would probably have to come from the roof down to fit one in 7, or have a 50000 ft ladder. Plus, personally I dont think night vision cameras are that good, unless you buy really good (expensive ones) and they would have to have a high magnification for the larger screens, even then its quite difficult to see whether people are just eating or talking.

Signs are going up on the entrances to the screens explaining we operate a zero tolerance towards trouble causers and that offenders will be ejected (words to that effect), and theres talk about putting a similar slide into the pre-feature slide things to deter potentials. :clap:

Originally posted by AndyC123
Wel thats what we've said before, but I guess it just boils down to cost and inconvenience of fitting them. You would probably have to come from the roof down to fit one in 7, or have a 50000 ft ladder. Plus, personally I dont think night vision cameras are that good, unless you buy really good (expensive ones) and they would have to have a high magnification for the larger screens, even then its quite difficult to see whether people are just eating or talking.



Nightvision scares me! All those glowing green eyes!!! Very disturbing!

Originally posted by Hello_Nikki
...yes, the price of the food is VERY expensive compared to the prices in supermarkets, but the profit from the food pays for pretty much EVERYTHING in the cinema - basically, if it wasn't for the food, there wouldn't be a cinema industry....

So tell me, how does Easy Cinema make any money then and not go out of business? Their tickets are cheaper and you are encouraged to bring your own food! The only real money they can be making is from the £3.50 ticket price.

Sorry for taking a proverbial wiz on your fire!

Hmm which one of the feisty women working at the UGC is Hello_Nikki.

Originally posted by AndyC123
Wel thats what we've said before, but I guess it just boils down to cost and inconvenience of fitting them. You would probably have to come from the roof down to fit one in 7, or have a 50000 ft ladder. Plus, personally I dont think night vision cameras are that good, unless you buy really good (expensive ones) and they would have to have a high magnification for the larger screens, even then its quite difficult to see whether people are just eating or talking.

Signs are going up on the entrances to the screens explaining we operate a zero tolerance towards trouble causers and that offenders will be ejected (words to that effect), and theres talk about putting a similar slide into the pre-feature slide things to deter potentials. :clap:

I've got a couple of questions for UGC employees... you're currently undergoing corporate rebranding (if I'd heard it on the grapevine correctly) - are you planning to change the pre-feature graphics (eg. Sit, back, relax....) to reflect this anytime soon?

Additionally, both my girlfriend and I have UGC Unlimited cards. To pre-book we have to ring a 25p a minute booking line and can only book one ticket per phone call. Though having to pay 75p per booking is annoying I am now aware this facility is outsourced and can understand your reason for having to charge. What I fail to understand is UGC's logic. How do I book two tickets at once? Assuming I go to the cinema with my girlfriend we usually want to sit together. Tell me how I do that without having to make a trip all the way to UGC earlier in the day? Furthermore, why can I only do this at the Box Office on the day of the performance? Your policies are a bit unreasonable.

Interruptions can be fun - when sitting in the front row at a packed showing of The Incredibles @ UGC recently, my 3-year-old daughter shouted out "hey Rowan, I wanted some of that drink but you finished it" she got nearly as big a laugh out of the audience as any of the jokes in the film (which was one of my best of 2004, BTW). And I even appreciated the joker who kept on shouting "onetwothreefour" during the Ramones film at the Showroom documentary festival.

But the type of interruptions more usual from the chavs at UGC I can live without. (My wife is banned from the Odeon in town since to the time she thought it would be a good idea to take a party of young offenders to see Lord of the Rings. Apologies to the other members of the audience who were showered with cinema-snacks and abuse).

My 2p-worth: I think UGC do a pretty good job on the whole. The projection isn't quite up to the standards of the Showroom (but is in a totally different league from the dire Odeon), but the seating & legroom are excellent: I'm 6-foot tall, which isn't that out of the ordinary, but at the Showroom I find myself having to curl up, stick my legs over the back of the seat in front, or sit by the aisle at an angle and watch all of the film sideways, ending the night with a crick in my neck.

Oh, and I'm sure that when I went to see Amelie @ UGC a few years back, I found myself in some cinema to the right of the main entrance, all decked out in pink and with king-sized armchairs. But that was probably some Jeunet-style hallucination, as I've never been in there before or since.

The food, of course, is horrendously overpriced but it's my own stupid fault for getting suckered into buying some every time I go. Actually, it's my own stupid fault for having kids, who then nag me into buying the overpriced food every time I go. And the overpriced drinks.

Oh, but whoever decided you're only allowed one dip with the nachos unless you supersize them ought to be taken out and shot.

Ditto the person who decided to install the revolving doors: trying to get through them with small kids, when there's some mainac behind you desperate to get into the cinema, is almost as bad as trying to herd a class of nursery kids across the Parkway. Who cares if a bit of cold air leaks into the foyer? At least it's warm in the cinemas (but not too warm, thank god: every time I go to the Odeon I end up falling asleep halfway through the film because it's like the tropics in there).

Finally on digital projection: my head says yes but my heart isn't sure. A while ago, I tried out Atom Films' Hi-Def player (http://www.atomfilms.com/af/spotlight/collections/hidef/) and was amazed that one of the things which made these films seem more real than anything I'd ever seen before on my computer screen was the fact that there were little crackles and scratches on there. I think I'd miss that if everything were filmed (sorry, videod) and projected digitally. But only because I'm used to it, I'm sure that the next generation won't be in the least bit bothered.

To serapis: Have you been to easy cinema?? I watched a documentary on it and if it hasn't shut down already, it soon will. None of the major film distributors will let them have any films (so no blockbusters there then) and apparently theres no atmosphere and is not a very nice place to sit in for 2 hours! Plus, all that orange?? I'd be sick :o

People still keep getting at projection! Our projectors are knocking on a bit now! they still have Virgin logos on the side! Old things aren't always as reliable (remember the Showroom is fairly new). Obviously we have technical difficulties, but when people start calling the projectionists themselves 'incompetent', thats totally unfair.

JonJparr, I assume the graphics will change with all the branding and such (apparently in about a year's time), but if you were been sarcastic about the sit back relax.. comment, I'm not rising to it :D

If you want to complain abou pre-booking services, contact head office, or even the other company involved. You could take a leaf out of Snoooook's book and email customer services :hihi:

Originally posted by JonJParr
I've got a couple of questions for UGC employees... you're currently undergoing corporate rebranding (if I'd heard it on the grapevine correctly) - are you planning to change the pre-feature graphics (eg. Sit, back, relax....) to reflect this anytime soon?

Additionally, both my girlfriend and I have UGC Unlimited cards. To pre-book we have to ring a 25p a minute booking line and can only book one ticket per phone call. Though having to pay 75p per booking is annoying I am now aware this facility is outsourced and can understand your reason for having to charge. What I fail to understand is UGC's logic. How do I book two tickets at once? Assuming I go to the cinema with my girlfriend we usually want to sit together. Tell me how I do that without having to make a trip all the way to UGC earlier in the day? Furthermore, why can I only do this at the Box Office on the day of the performance? Your policies are a bit unreasonable.

Re: the 'sit back, relax..' It will probably change to whatever Cineworld use (can anyone let me know?)

Re: Unlimited card. The card, when introduced, caused a bit of controversy with the distributers. They saw that if people spent £10 per month, and saw a film each day, how would they get their %age of the box office? Obviously they would prefer more full price tickets (bigger cut of the cash), so restrictions had to be agreed on. The one chosen was the pre-booking restriction (can only get them on the day of show).
The Unlimited booking line....I'd love to help, but I really do understand your problem. Unfortunately, all we can do is feed back these queries, and hope that a new system will be adopted. Sorry.
Rest assured that even staff members can't pre-book tickets, and have to come in on the day of the show and queue. We don't abuse our privilidge (was that spelt correctly? Probably not).


In addition, re Easycinema in Milton Keynes. No box office staff, just machines. You are asked to tidy your own mess up, hence hardly any staff. Still some resistance from some distributers, so can't get all the films.
For those people who want the experience as well as the film, it isn't an option. If you just want to go to a room to watch a film...then it's fine. I don't dispute that. Personally, as a film goer that would suit me to a tee (I always clean up after myself), although I would miss the assistance in choosing a film by asking the person serving what is worth seeing.

Originally posted by AndyC123
JonJparr, I assume the graphics will change with all the branding and such (apparently in about a year's time), but if you were been sarcastic about the sit back relax.. comment, I'm not rising to it :D

I wasn't being sarcastic at all, it was a genuine query.

You have a very rare opportunity to get some unbiased customer feedback and the best you can do is tell me to email customer services.

Nah - i'll just go to blockbusters, your loss (as a company).

Originally posted by AndyC123
To serapis: Have you been to easy cinema?? I watched a documentary on it and if it hasn't shut down already, it soon will. None of the major film distributors will let them have any films (so no blockbusters there then) and apparently theres no atmosphere and is not a very nice place to sit in for 2 hours! Plus, all that orange?? I'd be sick :o

People still keep getting at projection! Our projectors are knocking on a bit now! they still have Virgin logos on the side! Old things aren't always as reliable (remember the Showroom is fairly new). Obviously we have technical difficulties, but when people start calling the projectionists themselves 'incompetent', thats totally unfair.

JonJparr, I assume the graphics will change with all the branding and such (apparently in about a year's time), but if you were been sarcastic about the sit back relax.. comment, I'm not rising to it :D

If you want to complain abou pre-booking services, contact head office, or even the other company involved. You could take a leaf out of Snoooook's book and email customer services :hihi:

Originally posted by Cyclone
You have a very rare opportunity to get some unbiased customer feedback and the best you can do is tell me to email customer services.

Nah - i'll just go to blockbusters, your loss (as a company).

I think he was just pointing out that only they have the power to make changes to the booking service. I apologise for the way it was stated. I, myself, have tried to answer your queries, and pointed out that the most we can do re: booking service is feed back your comments. That doesn't mean we don't want to hear them at all. I would prefer someone to question an issue with us first so we can try to help the understanding of the "Why?" of it.


To dan
Oh, and I'm sure that when I went to see Amelie @ UGC a few years back, I found myself in some cinema to the right of the main entrance, all decked out in pink and with king-sized armchairs. But that was probably some Jeunet-style hallucination, as I've never been in there before or since.


Nope...they still exist. They are screens 19 and 20, what used to be the £10 per ticket Premier Screens. They are normal price now and are used for short run, limited audience films, or big releases at the end of their run (Incredibles and Team America have made it there over the past 2 weeks).

Keep a look out for them when you are in....there's nothing like reclining in a comfy chair whilst watching a film.

fair enough, pass the comments along, i'm making my contribution by commenting hear, i'm not emailing as well, especially as i'd have to take the time to look up the address.

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Nope...they still exist. They are screens 19 and 20, what used to be the £10 per ticket Premier Screens. They are normal price now and are used for short run, limited audience films, or big releases at the end of their run (Incredibles and Team America have made it there over the past 2 weeks).

Damn! I was at UGC to see Team America on Monday night, but it was in screen 1, which was very good on the legroom front but still not as plush as those pink armchairs. Also, the sound didn't seem to be quite as good as usual, is it only stereo in there rather than surround?

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Nope...they still exist. They are screens 19 and 20, what used to be the £10 per ticket Premier Screens. They are normal price now and are used for short run, limited audience films, or big releases at the end of their run (Incredibles and Team America have made it there over the past 2 weeks).

Keep a look out for them when you are in....there's nothing like reclining in a comfy chair whilst watching a film.


I thought these were fantastic seats and decided to start only watching films shown in these seats! However, on my 2nd visit I had to move 4 times before finding a working and clean seat!!
Some chairs didn't have handles, some had handles that were broken, some had food on them from previously (nice!). Luckily there were only 6 of us in the theatre otherwise i would have complained... better of sticking to the main screens if I were you! :rant:

Virgin was the crapest cinema ever!

The war of the worlds 3 is going to be the best film EVER!

Anyone that says different doesn't have a clue.

Originally posted by BillyBob
Virgin was the crapest cinema ever!

The war of the worlds 3 is going to be the best film EVER!

Anyone that says different doesn't have a clue.

I say different (mainly cos I'm wondering what film is War of the Worlds 3), but I don't have a clue. Here's me thinking It's A Wonderful Life is the best film ever. My mistake...nothing to see here...move along!

Originally posted by BillyBob
Virgin was the crapest cinema ever!

The war of the worlds 3 is going to be the best film EVER!

Anyone that says different doesn't have a clue.

Great 2nd post. I wish you a long and happy forum life with little to no flaming for being an egotistical grammatically challenged individual.

Originally posted by AndyC123
The escalator has recovered and is fine now people :D

Robbie: what do yo mean: "films finish at the same time" policy?? It's very rare that lots of films end at the same time.

And the 'rover', the floor team do screenchecks every 30-60 mins which are recorded (for audit purposes) in which we check fire exit signs, aisle lighting, picture, sound and look for any trouble in the audience. The trouble is when people see staff entering they shut up.

CCTV in the screens would no doubt violate SOME kind of regulation about recording equipment in the auditoria, even if it is for security purposes :rolleyes:
Plus it owuld be costly to install and man.

You keep talking about the 'risk' of a film been disrupted? Depending what time you go and what film to see, the 'risk' can be nearly zero. Besides: "Risk is part of the game if you want to sit in that chair." Theres a lower risk of me DYING if I take the tram to work, yet I still choose to drive. I think you are being too over cautious. Plus if anything does happen you can complain and try to wangle a refund!

;)

They changed the scheduling last year so that films came out at the same time so it was a mad rush to clean the screens before the next lot went in.

We try to avoid it though...but accident on sceduling happen (usually when the running time of a film is quoted wrong by the distributers).

It's all fun! :)

Originally posted by BillyBob
Virgin was the crapest cinema ever!

The war of the worlds 3 is going to be the best film EVER!

Anyone that says different doesn't have a clue.

erm this would be the new Cruise/Speilberg film which has moved the story?

I say anyone who thinks this will be the best film ever clearly doesn't have a clue:heyhey:

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
We try to avoid it though...but accident on sceduling happen (usually when the running time of a film is quoted wrong by the distributers).

It's all fun! :)

no, it was a specific management "plan" that must have lasted for only a short period (one of those plans that they don't actually bother to ask the staff if it is feasable first)

PROJECTIONISTS:

I don't understand thr argument that they are better at the Showroom than UGC. Personally, they often tend to be a bit of a joke at the Showroom (especially with lost sound)

Originally posted by robbie
no, it was a specific management "plan" that must have lasted for only a short period (one of those plans that they don't actually bother to ask the staff if it is feasable first)

I can honestly say there was never any plan in place for it to happen....it just did.

With the takeover of UGC by Cineworld taking place will the Unlimited scheme be phased out?

Originally posted by AndyC123
To serapis: Have you been to easy cinema?? I watched a documentary on it and if it hasn't shut down already, it soon will. None of the major film distributors will let them have any films (so no blockbusters there then) and apparently theres no atmosphere and is not a very nice place to sit in for 2 hours! Plus, all that orange?? I'd be sick :o


Andy,

The Easy Cinema in Milton Keynes used to be an ODEON (i think) and was only sold off because the Xscape centre was built almost on its doorsteps with a brand new UGC inside. Admittedly it wasn't a great place to go see a film and the screens are on the small side, but that wasn't my point. I was saying that if UGC only makes any operating profits from selling massively over priced food, how come Easy cinema, who sells tickets at almost half the price of UGC and encourages you to bring you own food is able to operate.

My point being, the roomers that UGC only makes profit from selling over prices popcorn and cola bottles is put about so that we the public don’t get narked for paying their inflated prices. It’s all to do with PR.

Oh and all the films on at the Sheffield UGC are on at the easy cinema too, so yes major film distributors are allowing their films to be shown there!

Originally posted by serapis
Andy,

The Easy Cinema in Milton Keynes used to be an ODEON (i think) and was only sold off because the Xscape centre was built almost on its doorsteps with a brand new UGC inside. Admittedly it wasn't a great place to go see a film and the screens are on the small side, but that wasn't my point. I was saying that if UGC only makes any operating profits from selling massively over priced food, how come Easy cinema, who sells tickets at almost half the price of UGC and encourages you to bring you own food is able to operate.

My point being, the roomers that UGC only makes profit from selling over prices popcorn and cola bottles is put about so that we the public don’t get narked for paying their inflated prices. It’s all to do with PR.

Oh and all the films on at the Sheffield UGC are on at the easy cinema too, so yes major film distributors are allowing their films to be shown there!

What you don't realise is that EasyCinema have a big hole in the wall where the screen should be. Once you're sat down you can see straight through that hole and watch all the films being shown in the UGC next door... :P

i like it there

you're lucky to have such a big facility - in Torquay (when i used to live there) there's only one crappy old cinema with two screens

so quit the moaning

Originally posted by Briano
What you don't realise is that EasyCinema have a big hole in the wall where the screen should be. Once you're sat down you can see straight through that hole and watch all the films being shown in the UGC next door... :P

LOL ... made me chuckle!

Im only being devils advicate here though, I much prefered the UGC to the Point (easy cinema)

Originally posted by Briano
What you don't realise is that EasyCinema have a big hole in the wall where the screen should be. Once you're sat down you can see straight through that hole and watch all the films being shown in the UGC next door... :P

It is a bit of a shocking cinema logistically, but you can see what they are trying to do. One thing that really suprised me was the range of films they show. If you take a look on their website, their currently showing all the usual suspects that are at UGC/other multiplex, but also Once Upon a Time in the West, Amadeus - Directors Cut, Seven Samurai, Annie Hall and a couple of other 'classics'. Don't know how things like rights to show certain films work or the financial viability of such a project, but would be pretty cool to see a cinema with loadsa screens like UGC do something similar to EasyCinema or Prince Charles Cinema and show films that have moved on from a theatrical run to DVD but look great on big screen or classics (like sing-a-long-a-sound-of-music!!!!). I saw Ghostbusters at Prince Charles a while back and it was sooooo cool.

I think ugc is ace to be honest- u can hav a nice pint while u wait and as long as u take ur own popcorn and sweets its pretty cheap- especially on a wednesday with that orange 2-4-1 offer!!!

Originally posted by JonJParr
With the takeover of UGC by Cineworld taking place will the Unlimited scheme be phased out?
There are no plans to do so, and we've just invested (company wide) in new cameras for the creation of the cards, which looks promising for the future.

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
I can honestly say there was never any plan in place for it to happen....it just did.

erm yes you did (as I know 5 members of staff who worked there at the time including management)

but hey it isn't important

Originally posted by Bedhead
i like it there

you're lucky to have such a big facility - in Torquay (when i used to live there) there's only one crappy old cinema with two screens

so quit the moaning

I think I went there a few years ago, I lovely cinema with a great atmospere, A lovely old lady selling the tickets and it looked more like a stage theatre than a cinema... it was Jurrassic park 2 i think we went to see and the film was rubbish but I remember just looking at how beautiful this cinema was.

I do actually enjoy going to UGC, although I was a bit shocked at how they treated a friend of mine who worked there, then again I only got his side of the story, he worked on the food section and one day got suspended with full pay cos they said he was stealing from the till, something that to this day he claims he never did, they took him in without any chance for him to make his case then fired him...

I adore the bar upstairs, its just lovely for a hot chocolate and curley fries before a film, me and my boyfriend are probably gonna go this weekend, and I know some people say its not a great experience but I think it is, sometimes I do just go in there to go to the bar get a snack a drink and sit with some friends and chat if theres nothing really on to watch.

Susie
xx

Actually, the best cinema I've been to was when we were on holiday in Wales a couple of years ago we went to the one in Tywyn. It's an old Welsh chapel converted into a cinema, one screen only, each film is only shown a couple of times so it feels like half the town has come out especially, people at the end of the aisles selling ice-cream in the intermission, a real atmosphere (noisy teenagers & all). It took me back to Saturday picture club at the Twickenham Odeon when I was a kid.

Originally posted by robbie
erm yes you did (as I know 5 members of staff who worked there at the time including management)

but hey it isn't important


I now seem to have worked out what you are on about. It wasn't a plan to have everything come out at once, but a plan to have the later shows start earlier on a Friday & Saturday night. It was an experiment...it failed. I assure you that it was not intentional for all the films to come out at the same time, it just fell that way with the limited space they had to program in.

Thankfully we are back to the weekend late shows being just that...late....so doesn't cause the problems anymore.

Just a question (to any watching moderators)....as this has become the general cinema Q&A section, can we have the title of the thread changed or branch off the last few pages, as the initial topic seems to have run its course? Just a thought.

either that or name it: 50 Reasons why UGC kicks ass! :D

UGC is Chavsville. I recommend Cineworld in Chezzy. I know it's not in Sheff but it's not far off. They've got a high proportion of camp staff for some reason. Go on tight-arse Tuesdays for the best value. Always smuggle in own cans of pop, sweets, fish n chips etc to avoid outrageous prices.

Originally posted by cowgirl
UGC is Chavsville. ..Always smuggle in own cans of pop, sweets, fish n chips etc to avoid outrageous prices.

Yeah an I'm sure people LOVE sitting in the stink of your fish and chips!! how inconsiderate!!!!
are you scared the chavs may outsmart you or summat?!

good offer from UGC here (http://www.ugccinemas.co.uk/special/special.html)

UGC is definitely better than the Odeon IMO, as it's cheaper, and the seats offer considerably more leg room.

It's also easier to get to than Odeon, to get to Odeon you have to get off Tram at Castle Square and then walk right up Arundel Gate, whereas UGC has its very own Tram stop.

Yup...that is a good offer we are doing at present! For those too lazy to click the links (I know I usually don't bother), the offer is...

If you book The Life Aquatic online at UGC, you get a FREE copy of The Royal Tenenbaums (and not a simple 1 disc vanilla edition either...it is the 2 disc special edition)

Damned good value.

BTW: Cheers whomever changed the thread name.

Im a UGC cardholder and really like the cinema, its spacious and comfy. Noticed theres alot more snacks to choose from now but still a tad expensive!

Two things that really annoys me:
People chatting during the film and having to actually turn round to tell them to shut up and if they still carry on then i have to go out and find a member of staff. Usually once you tell them to be quiet they do but on other occassions they dont and staff comes in, tells them but doesnt get taken away?! Ok i do understand why at some level but at the same time they caused so much disruption they should be taken out. Its a good thing ive got a card and i can watch the film another time but if I had to pay i would want compensated for the disruption and inconvience. I just dont get why people pay x amount of money to go and watch a film when they're gonna chat all the way through it :rant:

Second is kids especially in the hoildays, running from screen to screen getting freeviews!! Bf and i was in one of the premiere screens watching a horror, in the middle of the film, 2 little kids comes in and sits behide us. So I asked them, do you have tickets to see this film (knowing fine well they wouldnt) and they said no we better go.!!
Another time in the afternoon not many people about in the cinema, bf and i was walking to our screen and we seen 3 young boys running out of a screen and one of them said to another, Seen that one already! Lets go see whats on all the other screens!
There no was no staff about either..


Rant over
:rant:

Fair play to the kids I say. If UGC are not going to control viewing then take fulll advantage.

We try to catch as many screen jumpers as we can, and there are now groups who do not even get as far as the box office before we cart them out (they've been caught before, and we don't allow them in the building). It amuses me whenever they sneak into shows that staff are watching on days off. Talk about wrong screen at wrong time!

With regards to disruptives in screens...I empathise. As mentioned earlier, whenever a member of staff walks in, most groups simply shut up, so it can be hard to identify problems. Hence, if someone complains, our initial task will be to issue a warning to the group (we only have another customer's word that they were disruptive, and have, in the past, ejected one group on the word of another, only to be told by other customers that the group we ejected were only telling the first group to be quiet.)

Issueing the warning works in most cases. It also allows us to see exactly where this potential trouble is, so that, when we check the screens, or are alerted that they are still disruptive, we can go straight to them and boot them out.

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
We try to catch as many screen jumpers as we can, and there are now groups who do not even get as far as the box office before we cart them out (they've been caught before, and we don't allow them in the building). It amuses me whenever they sneak into shows that staff are watching on days off. Talk about wrong screen at wrong time!

With regards to disruptives in screens...I empathise. As mentioned earlier, whenever a member of staff walks in, most groups simply shut up, so it can be hard to identify problems. Hence, if someone complains, our initial task will be to issue a warning to the group (we only have another customer's word that they were disruptive, and have, in the past, ejected one group on the word of another, only to be told by other customers that the group we ejected were only telling the first group to be quiet.)

Issueing the warning works in most cases. It also allows us to see exactly where this potential trouble is, so that, when we check the screens, or are alerted that they are still disruptive, we can go straight to them and boot them out.

Beakerzoid, what would you do for Unlimited customers who have had a disrupted performance? Those who "buy" tickets are usually refunded with a coupon for another performance. Does UGC have a policy about what to do in these circumstances?

By the way, went to see Criminal on Saturday. Clean screen, no projection problems and no disruption! Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:

That's always a tricky one, and it is always down to the manager on duty that day. I can't say exactly what I would do as it could then be misinterpreted as the official stance of the company, and other managers would find themselves being told "Well one of your managers said we would get this." There is no official procedure in place I'm afraid. Sorry.

Not seen Criminal yet. Any good? (Glad you had a good experience.)

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
That's always a tricky one, and it is always down to the manager on duty that day. I can't say exactly what I would do as it could then be misinterpreted as the official stance of the company, and other managers would find themselves being told "Well one of your managers said we would get this." There is no official procedure in place I'm afraid. Sorry.

Not seen Criminal yet. Any good? (Glad you had a good experience.)

Beakerzoid, a very political answer! You think I should try and get something out of the duty manager if it occurs?

Criminal is fantastic! Good cast, excellent storyline with a neat twist at the end. I understand it's a remake?

All I'm saying, is feel free to enquire at the time ;)

Anyway...yeah....Criminal is a remake of an Argentinian film called Nine Queens. Could be worth checking it out if you enjoyed the remake.

I plan to catch it purely to see John C Reilly in a lead role (finally).

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
All I'm saying, is feel free to enquire at the time ;)

Anyway...yeah....Criminal is a remake of an Argentinian film called Nine Queens. Could be worth checking it out if you enjoyed the remake.

I plan to catch it purely to see John C Reilly in a lead role (finally).

Will do! :thumbsup:

Reilly plays a great character and proves he is lead actor material through this role.

Beakerzoid thanks for replying. The disruptions mainly occur when we go to see a film in the early evenings...might be an idea to have staff check in on those showings where its in a small screen...


Whats happened to those food/drink discount vouchers for cardholders?

That was a limited run offer...although it wouldn't surprise me if an offer similar is run again in the future. It was a good idea, and a good deal too.

Anyway Beakerzoid, back to the main topic (posted on page 2 by myself)... are there any plans to change the Nachos policy back to how it was.... i.e. cheese and salsa sauces. I'm sure most Nachos eaters out there will agree they are hardly worth buying without the winning combination of both the yellow and the red...

Sorry...no plans to do so. Better value to get the large anyway ;)

Originally posted by holster100
Anyway Beakerzoid, back to the main topic (posted on page 2 by myself)... are there any plans to change the Nachos policy back to how it was.... i.e. cheese and salsa sauces. I'm sure most Nachos eaters out there will agree they are hardly worth buying without the winning combination of both the yellow and the red...
and the sour cream? What happened to the sour cream?

Better value? I don't want a large size. I'm not greedy, and I don't fancy joining the growing number of obese people in the UK. It's disgraceful. What are your reasons for not allowing half and half?

imo I'd scrap nachos. They are loud and messy.

prefer Showroom. Get some decent films on there as well as the better big ones at UGC etc

It isn't cost efficient to have both cheese and salsa on a regular nachos. More to point.. thats disgusting lol :gag:
Nachos are very noisy, but most people eat them before the main feature starts (ie while they are still hot).. but they do stink when people leave the trays under the seats.
Personally I've never been able to eat nachos yet without getting salsa down my shirt.. damn annoying

Not cost efficient? Rubbish. They sell both sauces. What is the problem with putting a small (1/2) amount of each on?

Originally posted by Beakerzoid
Sorry...no plans to do so. Better value to get the large anyway ;)

Yeah, that's just what Morgan Spurlock concluded. Wasn't it?

Originally posted by AndyC123
It isn't cost efficient to have both cheese and salsa on a regular nachos. More to point.. thats disgusting lol :gag:
Nachos are very noisy, but most people eat them before the main feature starts (ie while they are still hot).. but they do stink when people leave the trays under the seats.
Personally I've never been able to eat nachos yet without getting salsa down my shirt.. damn annoying

Nachos in a cinema with processed rubbish on them:suspect: Cost effective my arse. More like less profit. You make a vast profit regardless if you give one or both....

Well ask Self Serve why you cant have both next time you go.. I bet they give an answer such as "We're not allowed to any more" or something to do with cutting down on excessive stock usage...

Originally posted by AndyC123
Well ask Self Serve why you cant have both next time you go.. I bet they give an answer such as "We're not allowed to any more" or something to do with cutting down on excessive stock usage...

I'm not denying they wont mate but to bring cost effectiveness into a product where you must make at least 400% profit on cost is a bit of a dead duck.

OK then.. maybe its more a case of 'acceptable' cost effectiveness from an audit point of view. Personally I think the fact that usually there is as much cheese in the tray/on the top than there is in the dip section is to blame for the wastage!

The department was at one point getting through ridiculous amounts of cheese which I think is why they have had to cut back, but at the end of the day: the nachos come in packets and are microwaved. The entire snack probably costs under a quid, including tray and chillies







(Beakerzoid: :help: )

I hear its a lovely take getting that cheese of the floor/your clothes:gag:

I did ask a guy on the desk, and he informed me they've "changed their Nachos policy". Made me laugh... maybe there's a document somewhere:

UGC CINEMAS
Nachos Policy 2005

Ok... compromise.... If it is simply they are using too much sauce (which I find difficult to believe as I'm only after 1/2 and 1/2, not 2 full portions), how about you simply pay an extra 10-20p for the 2nd sauce option.

Honestly...The things you have to do to get Nachos how you like em..........

Originally posted by robbie
I hear its a lovely take getting that cheese of the floor/your clothes:gag:

My god it is awful stuff.. radioactive bile I reckon

Originally posted by holster100
I did ask a guy on the desk, and he informed me they've "changed their Nachos policy". Made me laugh... maybe there's a document somewhere:

UGC CINEMAS
Nachos Policy 2005

Ok... compromise.... If it is simply they are using too much sauce (which I find difficult to believe as I'm only after 1/2 and 1/2, not 2 full portions), how about you simply pay an extra 10-20p for the 2nd sauce option.

Honestly...The things you have to do to get Nachos how you like em..........


But do you got to Ford and say I'd like this mondeo half black and half metallic azure blue? No, and even if you did want that they probably wouldn't make it for ya.

Im still struggling to understand how mixing the cheese and salsa is even edible.. let alone palletable :gag:

Originally posted by AndyC123
But do you got to Ford and say I'd like this mondeo half black and half metallic azure blue? No, and even if you did want that they probably wouldn't make it for ya.

No, because taking it back to the paintshop and doing that would probably be very hard for them, and cost them a lot of money. Whereas asking the droid behind the counter at UGC to press half as hard on the squirty, twice as often, isn't exactly going to tax their abilities. Or is it?

Originally posted by DanSumption
No, because taking it back to the paintshop and doing that would probably be very hard for them, and cost them a lot of money. Whereas asking the droid behind the counter at UGC to press half as hard on the squirty, twice as often, isn't exactly going to tax their abilities. Or is it?

Don't patronise the staff.. you have no right.

I actually saw a customer today who had a regular nachos, with cheese, salsa AND onions on them. Maybe he had a charm, or even a general pleasantness that some of you lack when asking for 'extras'

Went to the cinema last night, thought id get the hotdog offer. Went to the counter and asked for 2 hotdogs both with cheese and i got a reply back saying i couldnt have cheese on it except for onions! I was so surprised to hear that! I asked the staff why? He said, Coz we dont! So i asked, Why not? There must be a reason. He said because of portion control!! I never got the hotdogs.

I was so surprised to hear that and hotdogs with cheese just aint right?! :loopy: maybe its just me :D But still I couldnt believe when the staff said that to me!

And I didnt realise with nachos you couldnt get the salsa and cheese together now until i read it on here...I thought you could. But I only ever have cheese with it.


Andy C..maybe the customer was staff.. ;)

Originally posted by funkyukgal
But still I couldnt believe when the staff said that to me!


All the decisions regarding popcorn, nachos, hotdogs, beer, admission, marketing, etc... are made at company level i.e. we have absolutely NO input over them whatsoever.

Hounding the staff over a decision that has been made by somebody in a white shirt and tie hundreds of miles away in a big office is totally out-of-order!!!

Originally posted by AndyC123
Don't patronise the staff.. you have no right.

Actually, the staff at the UGC food counter are usually very friendly, but if you start questioning them about the food portions then they morph into robots and parrot "I am sorry, it is company policy". No additional explanation given. In that respect, my experience was very like funkyukgal's.

I was in there a while ago and an old woman was in the queue in front of me. She was quite obviously shocked when she was asked for about £5 for her measly few items. "Goodness, is that right, it seems very expensive", she said. The woman at the counter giggled and said very sheepishly "yes, it is isn't it".

Personally I think UGC are unfair on their staff, putting them in the frontline in this way. It's almost as unethical as telesales.

The only reason I was being patronising in my post was because, AndyC123, you were extremely patronising in expecting customers to believe that squirting a dollop of sludge onto a nacho tray is in any way similar to painting a car.

Originally posted by Leebo84
Hounding the staff over a decision that has been made by somebody in a white shirt and tie hundreds of miles away in a big office is totally out-of-order!!!

In which bit of the post did it make you make the assumption i was *hounding* the staff?

I dont think asking the staff why you cant have the cheese on the hotdog anymore is called hounding!!:rolleyes:

Originally posted by funkyukgal
Went to the cinema last night, thought id get the hotdog offer. Went to the counter and asked for 2 hotdogs both with cheese and i got a reply back saying i couldnt have cheese on it except for onions! I was so surprised to hear that! I asked the staff why? He said, Coz we dont! So i asked, Why not? There must be a reason. He said because of portion control!! I never got the hotdogs.

I was so surprised to hear that and hotdogs with cheese just aint right?! :loopy: maybe its just me :D But still I couldnt believe when the staff said that to me!

And I didnt realise with nachos you couldnt get the salsa and cheese together now until i read it on here...I thought you could. But I only ever have cheese with it.


Andy C..maybe the customer was staff.. ;)

cheese on hotdogs!!!! you freak:D

Originally posted by funkyukgal
In which bit of the post did it make you make the assumption i was *hounding* the staff?

Sorry Funky, I know I quoted your post but wasn't specifically referring to you as a 'hounder': Just commenting about hounders in general - what DanSumption about staff being in the 'frontline' and getting blamed for company policy is totally true! It doesn't just happen on Self Serve, it happens elsewhere such as the Coke machines on the top floor ( Screens 12-18 ): the ticket-tearer up there gets the blame for the machine swallowing the customer's money and UGC not being able to do refunds as the vending machine is actually run by another company!

I was working up there a few weeks back on a Saturday evening around 8pm (if you've been at that time you'll know it's absolutely heaving) and a sold-out screening of Meet the Fockers was still showing in Screen 7 when a guy came up about 40 minutes early. I politely notified him that he wouldn't be able to go in for another 40 mins so he may want to go to the bar or wait around upstairs until then. After 20 minutes when the 700-odd people still hadn't come out of the screen, he proceeded to start having a go at me for the length of time he'd been waiting to go in!! What did he want me to do, ask the whole of Screen 7 to leave so he could sit down??? It wasn't as if I'd kept it a secret form him how long he had to wait!! (NB: I'm not saying everyone is like that - just a very small minority!!)

Another time, a couple were seriously puzzled as to why I wouldn't let them in to see Closer (an 18, and a very rude one at that) with their 3-yr old toddler. The guy was extremely intimidating and threatening: to the point that I had to call a manager over! It's not just company policy about film ratings - it's the Law!!! Nowadays, if you let an under-age person into a film, it's the individual who allows that minor into the screen that gets fined!! So to allow that gentleman to take his toddler into an extremely sexually-explicit 18-rated film, I could've received a discplinary and even a £1000 fine!! Not likely methinks!!

Rant over...

Originally posted by robbie
cheese on hotdogs!!!! you freak:D

Oh come on...from burger van order a large hotdog with cheese and fried onions then ketchup is to die for!! yummy

Or home version...hotdog with cheese, fried onions topped with coleslaw and potatoe salad mmmmm :D

again im no freak :suspect: :D

Originally posted by Leebo84
I was working up there a few weeks back on a Saturday evening around 8pm (if you've been at that time you'll know it's absolutely heaving) and a sold-out screening of Meet the Fockers was still showing in Screen 7 when a guy came up about 40 minutes early. I politely notified him that he wouldn't be able to go in for another 40 mins so he may want to go to the bar or wait around upstairs until then. After 20 minutes when the 700-odd people still hadn't come out of the screen, he proceeded to start having a go at me for the length of time he'd been waiting to go in!! What did he want me to do, ask the whole of Screen 7 to leave so he could sit down??? It wasn't as if I'd kept it a secret form him how long he had to wait!! (NB: I'm not saying everyone is like that - just a very small minority!!)

In this instance I would have to agree with you Leebo. From what you've said it was entirely the man's fault. I bet you wish you could tell people to "F*** off" sometimes don't you?

Originally posted by Leebo84
Another time, a couple were seriously puzzled as to why I wouldn't let them in to see Closer (an 18, and a very rude one at that) with their 3-yr old toddler. The guy was extremely intimidating and threatening: to the point that I had to call a manager over! It's not just company policy about film ratings - it's the Law!!! Nowadays, if you let an under-age person into a film, it's the individual who allows that minor into the screen that gets fined!! So to allow that gentleman to take his toddler into an extremely sexually-explicit 18-rated film, I could've received a discplinary and even a £1000 fine!! Not likely methinks!!

I've seen Closer (and think it's fantastic by the way) and would say it would be totally unacceptable to 'allow' a minor see it, let alone 'take' them to see it. You were entirely right to uphold the law! Film ratings are there for a reason, unfortunately some people don't exercise (or have) any common sense.

In a service industry the employees delivering the service are always going to receive comments and bear the brunt of disgruntled customers anger. All you can do, particularly in the case of the Nacho : Salsa & Dip fiasco is apologise but unfortunately most people will not be appeased by this. The logic behind such an "efficiency" cost-saving is ill thought and rather ridiculous. But at the end of the day UGC's nacho customers will demonstrate their anger at such a folly policy by not purchasing them. Maybe then, senior managers will see the error of their ways.

Hotdog with Cheese is really nice.

Herta used to sell them pre-made for you in a microwavable package :( Sadly no longer.

Originally posted by JonJParr
I bet you wish you could tell people to "F*** off" sometimes don't you?

LOL summat along those lines, yes!!!

I wasn't sure about Closer - I made the mistake of taking a rather conservative lass to see it (being unaware of the nature of the film). It was particularly strange to hear Julia Roberts talking about such sexually-explicit things!! lol

But yes, very irresponsible taking a 3 yr-old to see it!! His argument was that the kid was too young to understand what they were saying in the film - I just hope he doesn't subject his kid to such rudeness at home!!

Originally posted by RPG
Hotdog with Cheese is really nice.

Herta used to sell them pre-made for you in a microwavable package :( Sadly no longer.

Hotdogs are disgusting! Herta hotdogs are 31% fat! What else is in them? Amongst other things water, lactose, milk proteins, albumen, di and polyphosphates and sodium nitrite. Why would you want to eat food like that?

Originally posted by AndyC123
But do you got to Ford and say I'd like this mondeo half black and half metallic azure blue? No, and even if you did want that they probably wouldn't make it for ya.


Ok, now you're bordering on the ridiculous. It's a food item. Let's compare it with other foods:

If you went into a restaurant, or a takeaway and asked for a minor change to a standard dish, how many places do you think would turn you down? Very few I'd say - they'd rather have your custom. I'm even offering to pay more!

I'm not blaming any of the staff on the counter, I'm just after a decent answer/compromise.

Lets not forget, up until 4 months ago, they happily served half and half for the past 3 years.

Originally posted by AndyC123
The department was at one point getting through ridiculous amounts of cheese which I think is why they have had to cut back, but at the end of the day: the nachos come in packets and are microwaved.







(Beakerzoid: :help: )

Sorry...been away for the weekend....

Re: The great cheese/salsa/whatever debate. It is my understanding that we were making quite substantial losses on said products, which we were discovering when the fortnightly stock checks were being made. (a few hundred quid at best going 'missing', at worst almost a grand a fortnight.) The chances of this loss being down to theft was minimal (can't see staff running out with tins of jalapenos for some reason ;) ), so it was looked at as a potential portion control issue. Since the 'choose your topping' policy was introduced, we have seen a hige improvement in the 'loss of stock'

Now I'm not saying it is fair. Heck, I like cheese on hotdogs too (or salsa and jalapenos), or a mix of nacho toppings, but unfortunately losses need to be explained...and for us to tell our head office that "We just gove the customers more" wasn't seen as a good excuse.

We have requested for a button for the tills to put through extra portions, and I can see from the responses above that even if there was a nominal charge for this then a lot of you would be willing to pay.

Regards splitting it half and half....tricky to measure accurately, and the 'guesswork' involved will result in more lossage.

Like I said, we would love to get a process in place to allow you the choice of multiple toppings...we are simply awaiting a system. As much as i would love to say to each of you here that I would let you have it your way when you come in, I would also be obliged to let the other 30,000 visitors each week to have the same....which adds up to a lot of stock loss once more.

Our hands...at present....are tied, and I apologise for the upset it causes. Sorry.

Originally posted by JonJParr
Hotdogs are disgusting! Herta hotdogs are 31% fat! What else is in them? Amongst other things water, lactose, milk proteins, albumen, di and polyphosphates and sodium nitrite. Why would you want to eat food like that?

I dont care whats in them, they taste lovely!

Not a patch on Bratwerst though, im sure theres something wrong with those as well.

At last... a semi-reasonable response - thanks Beakerzoid. A couple of things:

1) a few hundred quids worth of stock going missing, all in the form of salsa or cheese sauce! Wow - you sure you're not paying too much for it from your suppliers?

2)Originally posted by Beakerzoid

Regards splitting it half and half....tricky to measure accurately, and the 'guesswork' involved will result in more lossage.


How about I purchase two serving spoons, each half the volume of the large ones you currently use, and donate them to UGC cinemas? This would then eliminate the "guesswork" involved in providing 1/2 portions.

I'm not joking by the way... I REALLY like cheese and salsa on my Nachos.

for God's sake you're still going on about it??!

This thread used to be interesting!!

Originally posted by AndyC123
This thread used to be interesting!!

Whereas now it's just important!

lol whats important about whinging about whether you get salsa AND cheese with your nachos?! :confused:

Originally posted by AndyC123
lol whats important about whinging about whether you get salsa AND cheese with your nachos?! :confused:

Nothing's important about the whinging, but the getting is a matter of life or death.

Well, if you're cheese-salsa combo is so addictive, hook yourself up to an intrevenous drip, that should keep ya going:gag:

Originally posted by AndyC123
Well, if you're cheese-salsa combo is so addictive, hook yourself up to an intrevenous drip, that should keep ya going:gag:

Tried that. They wouldn't let me take it into the cinema with me. :roll:

of course! ...hypodermic?

Also, it's really difficult to get the chunky bits of the salsa through the needle. The cheese sauce is fine.

I'll strain it for ya if you like, but salsa just isn't the same unless you're choking on a lump of tomato :P

You can heat it on a piece of foil & inhale the fumes, but again it's a bit obvious and the staff really don't like it.

Ok I give up, can't think of any more ways to ingest salsa.. just have it on your nachos! Go on! take it!

Originally posted by AndyC123
Ok I give up, can't think of any more ways to ingest salsa.. just have it on your nachos! Go on! take it!

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it :D

Back to the original topic of this thread: I just got back from UGC (saw Robots, screen 15). The entire film was out-of-focus, so badly so that I got a headache trying to concentrate. I'm sure I remember one of the UGC bods posting here that projection is always OK for the main feature: not in this case.

(No, I didn't complain because I had a 4-year-old with me and didn't fancy dragging her out and back down two sets of escalators once the film had started, and besides it's easier to vent my spleen here)

You wouldn't have had to go downstairs, just to the top floor ticket tearer. But, on the other hand, the floor team should have checked the performance at least once for picture and sound quality.

Originally posted by DanSumption
Back to the original topic of this thread: I just got back from UGC (saw Robots, screen 15). The entire film was out-of-focus, so badly so that I got a headache trying to concentrate. I'm sure I remember one of the UGC bods posting here that projection is always OK for the main feature: not in this case.

(No, I didn't complain because I had a 4-year-old with me and didn't fancy dragging her out and back down two sets of escalators once the film had started, and besides it's easier to vent my spleen here)

they dont check. There would be someone around outside.

Originally posted by robbie
they dont check. There would be someone around outside.

Of course they are checked, just not as often as they should be depending who is working on that occasion.

Went to see the Ring 2 and Be Cool this weekend. Ring2 was okay, not as scary as the first one and Be Cool wasnt as funny as I thought it would be but it was good :)

I would like praise a manager called Kathryn for helping me Other Half try to find his mobile. She was very helpful and did everything she could have to help find it. She even went to get a cordless phone from the office and back to the screen (which was one of the big screens and we were sitting half way to the top, lots of stairs!!) and phoned the mobile. But couldnt hear it, so she gave us a number to contact her if we couldnt find it in the car which OH thought it might have dropped out of pocket. And guess what?? it was in the car!! :rolleyes:

Really appreciated her help and had to mention her on here because theres not enough good things said about UGC. Her customer skills/service was spot on and she was really nice. Bless her. :) I dont think most people would go through half of what she did to help us.




Abit off topic now! Still dont know who beakerzoid (whats your real name again?) and i think andy but without the name tag will be abit hard to find!! description might be good :D Dont suppose Beakerzoid looks like a youngish roughly shaven guy? Dark hair? no name tag....

hehe yeah Kat is good with things like that! She's mine and AndyC's line manager.

AndyM (Beakerzoid) wears a suit coz he's a manager, has very short hair and wears round glasses.

I wasn't impressed with Ring 2 either - it just dragged a lot for me! On the other hand, watched the first 30 mins of Bullet Boy in my break and I will most definitely be watching the rest at some point: Asher D (of previous So Solid Crew fame) is a pretty damn good actor, and (so far) the film paints an interesting picture of the gun culture in London where the lads feel it necessary to prove their manliness with violence!!

Bullet boy does look interesting will have to watch that soon...gotta watch Miss Congeniality 2 first!

Does AndyM wear a grey suit sometimes?

Miss Congeniality 2 isn't that bad! I havn't seen the first one though.

I think your thinking of Guy, he wears a grey suit sometimes.

Bulletboy is a bit of a chav flick I'm afraid. Even though they could never comprehend the film, they see the word "bullet" and "that bloke from so solid crew" and they are in there before you can say 'Burberry'