This is when cinemas in Sheffield are reopening and what safety measures will be in place

Cinemas will be allowed to welcome back viewers from Monday, May 17, under the Government’s road map out of lockdown, though some are planning to reopen slightly later.

There’s plenty to look forward to, from Oscar winner Nomadland to Godzilla Vs Kong and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, with Fast & Furious 9 and the latest instalment in the James Bond franchise, No Time to Die, coming later in the year.

Viewers must wear face coverings inside, unless eating or drinking; social distancing will be required; and cinemas are also taking a variety of additional steps to prevent the spread of Covid.

As cinephiles prepare to once again enjoy movies as they’re meant to be watched, on the big screen, with a large bucket of popcorn, here’s a list of when cinemas in Sheffield will be reopening and what Covid safety measures will be in place.

CINEWORLD

Cineworld has not announced an exact reopening date but a spokesperson said: “We expect to resume operations at Cineworld Sheffield in May, in line with current government guidance.”

It says hand sanitiser stations will be provided for customers and staff, additional cleaning will take place, people are encouraged to book e-tickets in advance, film times will be staggered to prevent crowds, and the booking system has been updated to allow people to sit next to friends and families while ensuring a safe distance between customers from different groups.

For more information and to book, visit: www.cineworld.co.uk.

CURZON

A spokesperson for Curzon said: “The plan is to reopen Sheffield on the 4th June. Understanding at the moment is the measures will match what we had last summer.”

Those measures included online bookings, customers being asked to queue outside until it is time to take their seats, social distancing signs, staggered start times and a reduced number of seats to ensure social distancing.

For more information and to book, visit: www.curzoncinemas.com/sheffield/info.

ODEON

Odeon is reopening the vast majority of its cinemas on May 17, including the one in Sheffield.

Safety measures will include limiting seats for sale at each screening, guaranteeing unoccupied seats between parties, online booking, pre-packaged food and drinks available to buy using contactless payment only, and enhanced cleaning. Once seated, guests may remove their face coverings to enjoy food and drinks.

For more information and to book, visit: www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/sheffield.

THE LIGHT

The Light Cinema Sheffield plans to reopen on Friday, May 28.

Viewers have been encouraged to book online and to order food and drink at the same time, only contactless or card payment will be accepted, seating layouts have been amended to create a safe space between groups, fresh air will be circulated through air conditioning, film times will be staggered and there will be one-way entrance and exit points.

For more information and to book, visit: sheffield.lightcinemas.co.uk.

SHOWROOM

Sheffield’s Showroom Cinema plans to reopen on Monday, May 17.

Ian Wild, CEO of Showroom Workstation, said it would initially operate with just 25 per cent screen capacity and wanted to ‘make sure the health and safety of our staff and audience are at the forefront of anything we do’.

"We will continue with the myriad of safety measures we introduced last year and are holding training with all our employees over the next few weeks,” he added.

For more information and to book, visit: www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/cinema.

VUE

The Vue Cinema at Meadowhall will reopen from Monday, May 17.

Customers are encouraged to book online and use e-ticketing, guests aged 16 and over will be asked to give their details upon booking as part of Test & Trace, and anyone not booking online will have to check in using the NHS Covid-19 app upon arrival. Viewers will automatically be seated apart from other groups, hand sanitiser will be available, there will be enhanced cleaning, and screen doors will remain open until the film starts.

For more information and to book, visit: www.myvue.com/cinema/sheffield/whats-on.