After seven long months, the silver screen lights up again at the North Bend Theatre.
The historic theatre closed March 16th when COVID-19 restrictions shut down theatres across the nation. The State of Washington recently eased restrictions on theatres and, on Friday, October 9, movies returned to the North Bend Theatre. Reopening with safety procedures in place, the theatre warmly welcomed the community back to the cinema.
“We’ve really missed having people come to the theatre and can’t wait to see everyone again,” said theatre manager Skyler Possert, noting that the safety of the community is foremost in their re-opening.
Owner Beth Burrows also emphasized the importance of community. “I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to the community for their support over these past seven months. Purchasing take-out concessions during the closure kept the theatre afloat, and our staff employed. Our hometown theatre survived WWII thanks to the community. It is going to survive the pandemic thanks to the community. We will now do our part to keep the community safe.”
Theatre staff have been training to use new safety methods, encouraging customers to purchase their tickets and concessions online before arrival at the theatre. Pre-purchasing will prevent crowding in the lobby and help with social distancing. Staff have also been practicing new “order from your seat” concessions for customers who are not able to pre-order.
Once the movie starts, patrons are able to come to the lobby for additional concessions. Masks are required and will be worn by staff at all times. Customers must also wear masks unless eating or drinking. Seating in the theatre has been configured to leave at least one row between customers.
Celebrate with them at their 2 pm family screenings of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, or their 9 pm showtimes of the classic horror, A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Welcome back to everyone at the Theatre! We’ve missed you!
Comments
I’d love to go to the movies again and enjoy our local theater. But this begs a lot of questions, notably:
What is the rate of air cycling in the theater?
Have any measures been taken to improve ventilation?
Is there an HVAC system in the theater and is it equipped with the most efficient filters available, and have filter bypass issues (leaks) been examined and addressed?
Are the seats, armrests disinfected in between screenings?
How often are the employees tested for Covid-19?
Hard to believe that increasing the distance between occupied seats alone would suffice in an enclosed space where people stay seated for 1-2+ hours at a time without appropriate air circulation and filtering — and what qualifies as appropriate is difficult to identify.
Here is the number to call 425-499-2897 I’m sure they’d be happy to answer all of your questions.
Glad it is back open. The more normal activities that return, the better.
If you don’t feel safe or have apprehensions, stay home. Let the freedom loving folks of the valley have your seat; jnjoy the Murder She Wrote re-runs.