I'd like to start this post with a thank you - to our brilliant team here at Watershed who are working so well together to ensure that every day we are open we can offer a safe and welcoming space for all - and to you our audiences and customers for your ongoing support and feedback. We couldn't do this without you all. 

From next Tue 24 Aug the building, Café & Bar and Undershed will again be open six days a week AND from Tue 31 Aug we will be running our cinema programme six days a week (Tue to Sun) for the whole of September.

We've got a great line up of films and events planned for September (including Annette, Candyman and Wildfire) and we can't wait to see more of you back in the building. We know it has been an unsettling time and we are trying to be as clear as possible with our information - all our opening days and times have been updated on the website and should be correct but if you spot anything wrong please do let us know.

We will continue with our current capacity levels which are 50% in both the cinemas and the Café & Bar, and we will also continue with our current mask policy. However we are collating all of the feedback and information we have been receiving from staff, audiences and customers with a view to constantly review and adapt our approach when and where necessary.

As ever our approach to all our decisions are to take the greatest of care, prioritising the access and inclusion of our staff, our customers and our audiences.

Just a reminder of what you need to know before visiting us....

• Face coverings
  We continue to require everyone to wear a face covering whilst in the cinemas and moving around the building. As before, we ask everyone to be mindful that some people are unable to wear a face covering, and the reasons for that might not be immediately apparent.
   
• Cinema capacity
  Our current capacity in our cinemas is now 50%. This means our booking system automatically ensures there is a minimum of 2 seats (1.5 metres) between you and other customers on your row and cinema bookings are set at a maximum of six people.
   
• Café & Bar capacity and changes to service
  With the increased capacity in the Café & Bar you can just drop in and find yourself a table However you can still reserve a table by emailing the Café & Bar team if this is what you would prefer, and we will continue to publish the end time of all our screenings which should make it easier for you to work out when you would like to book a table. To limit the amount of movement around the space table service will continue using the ordering system currently in place.
   
• Continuation of some Relaxed/Socially Distanced Screenings during September
  We know many of our audiences, particularly those who are clinically vulnerable, will feel more comfortable with less people in the cinema screens. We will continue to offer some relaxed and/ socially distanced screenings with 25% capacity, to go alongside the 50% capacity screenings.
   
• Safety measures
  We will continue with the safety measures we have in place, including our increased and enhanced cleaning regime, provision of hand sanitiser throughout the building, maintaining our air flow management plans to ensure adequate ventilation throughout, staff wearing face coverings and following social distancing guidelines, perspex screens at the desks and bar, and keeping contactless payments. If you would like to check in via NHS Test and Trace please feel free to do so, although it will no longer be required to enter the building.
   

Changes to our opening times

• The Watershed building including the Café & Bar and Undershed will be open on Tue 24 Aug.
   
• From Tue 31 Aug the Watershed building including the Cinemas, the Café & Bar and Undershed will be open six days a week from Tuesday to Sunday throughout the whole of September.
   
• The Watershed building will be closed on Mondays.
• From Tue 24 Aug Box Office will be open from 12noon for calls and bookings six days a week, Tue to Sun.

How are you feeling?

Let us know how you feel. Do you want to share any thoughts with us? Email us at communications@watershed.co.uk and we will get back to you.

With love from Louise and the rest of the Watershed team.

Louise Gardner
Head of Communications

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