Too much to ask to mask up at movies?

Yesterday afternoon I decided I would like to go to the cinema in the evening.

For many that would be quite a straightforward decision, but as someone who cares for a 90 year old relative with a heart condition, it is anything but a straightforward decision and one that is filled with risk.

I checked the number of people going and not too many had already booked for the film I want to see so I decided to do my usual thing and booked myself a seat on one side of the auditorium, away from other people at the very back.

When I got there (I walked which takes an hour) the cinema was much busier than I expected with around 50 people in the auditorium - and just two of them wearing masks.

Initially I wasn't too worried as people were sitting well away from me, but eventually people came to sit adjacent to me on both sides, none of whom were wearing masks.

Given my mum's age and health I took the decision to leave before the film started - the risk was just too great.

On the way out I noticed the manager standing by the entrance so thought I'd go and talk to him about the issue. He listened to me explain that with so many people not wearing masks the cinema was just too dangerous for me and that there was nothing to stop the cinema insisting people wear masks to protect vulnerable people such as my mother.

I also explained that because so many places (not all) were no longer asking people to wear masks that I was beginning to feel like an outcast and becoming a prisoner in my own home simply because I care for my 90 year old mother.

Fair play to the manager - he listened to what I had to say and we had a good discussion. He also agreed to pass my comments on to his head office. He then told me about a disabled box they have that is separated from the main auditorium and that I could use that to watch the film. He even got me another drink before taking me up there.

So today I will be writing to the CEO of Cineworld tomorrow to commend that manager to him or her.

But the other side to this story is just how so many people are ignoring the needs of vulnerable people making them prisoners in their own homes by not wearing face masks.

Is it really too much to ask people to wear a face mask in cinemas, theatres, shops schools, colleges, universities, in fact any enclosed space open to the public to protect vulnerable people?

Next time you go into such a venue please don't put the lives of vulnerable people at risk, and imprison their carers. Instead please put on your face mask!

Is that really too much to ask?

Name and address supplied

Quit wasting cash on roundabouts

I read with interest your piece in the Adver on February 8 about Swindon Council was paid more than £650,000 in fines in bus only lanes in Swindon last year.

Then to read that any money received is spent on highways and transport related projects. Would the council please explain if that is the case why are there so many potholes on every road in Rodbourne? They are a total disgrace and that goes for many, many roads in Swindon.

If spending money on transport related objects means wasting millions on altering roundabouts that don’t need altering then the council is very good at that.

For goodness sake start doing up the roads and let’s see what all that money is being spent on.

Mrs L Townsend

Redcliffe Street

Rodbourne

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