A cinema has apologised to a great aunt who paid to take her nieces to a film, but couldn’t get her tickets because of a technical glitch.
The problem meant Alison Brown, of Netherton, and the excited youngsters – sisters Gracie and Evie and their cousin Jessica - couldn’t see the new film The Secret Life of Pets at the Odeon Cinema by the John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield. It left four-year-old Gracie in tears.
To save time Mrs Brown had paid £31.40 online for tickets, popcorn and drinks.
But when she put her credit card in one of the two automated machines at the cinema to get her tickets, it said “transaction void.”
Mrs Brown, 57, who has used the machines before so knows the process, tried the second machine, only to be given the same message.
She struggled to find someone to help, and when she contacted the Odeon’s customer services department on her phone, her money was refunded.
She ended up taking the children to KFC instead, and they still haven’t seen the film.
Now the Odeon has apologised.
A spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear about Alison’s experience following an isolated technical error with the in-cinema ticketing machines in our Huddersfield cinema, and have spoken with Mrs Brown to grant a full refund, apologising for the inconvenience.
“We have also offered her and her nieces complimentary tickets to return to our cinemas any time to see The Secret Life of Pets, or any of the other great films showing at Odeon this summer.
“We have kept in contact with Mrs Brown to ensure she is satisfied with how the situation has been resolved, which she has assured us she is – and we look forward to welcoming Alison and her nieces back to our cinema soon.”
