FAQs

Of course, you are welcome to bring along your own picnic to all our events. At most of our venues this can include alcohol. We do ask that you are mindful of bringing glass into a venue.

We will have food and drinks available at each venue and we are proud to always ensure that we have a vegetarian and gluten-free option available.

Please note that we do not accept BBQs at any of our venues and that we do ask that you kindly take any little home with you.

Whilst we are dog lovers, we do not allow any pets to be brought into any of our venues except for assistance dogs.

Yes, if you would like to bring along your own chair or beanbag to any of our events then please do. We do have deckchairs and beanbags for pre hire and sometimes these are available to hire on the day at the box office (where available)

At some venues gazebos are available to hire, they have prime positioning and are already erected. It is possible to bring your own gazebo/tent however we do ask that these are set up towards the rear of the viewing area as not to obstruct anyone in the audience. Gazebos must be secured with guide ropes and stakes suitable for the size and design of the gazebo.  Gazebo hire does not include seating so you’re free to bring your own or add them to your booking.

Yes, all our venues have toilets and accessible toilets.

No, our ticket system is electronic, and we do not require to see a paper version of your ticket. We will scan each ticket upon entry, and you will be given a hand stamp should you need to leave the viewing area at any point.

Many of our screenings sell out and so it is always better to purchase in advance, however if the event hasn’t sold out then tickets will be available to purchase on the day however please turn up when the gates open as our events have strict maximum numbers and we are unable to admit additional guests after we reach capacity.

We recognise that some of guests may need additional assistance when attending an open-air cinema event.  There are several reasons that this may be the case and so if you require a companion to attend to ensure that you can enjoy the screening then please get in touch. Simply purchase your ticket and then drop us a line at tickets@sundowncinema.co.uk with the booking reference and we’ll send an additional complementary companion/carer ticket. Please note that this will only apply to a standard ticket, any upgrades or seating hire will need to be purchased separately. Please note that we may be unable to provide tickets if less than 48 hours notice is provided and that we may require additional information to process your request.

Our events are held on short grass in meadows or fields we try and make each venue as accessible as possible. We are always on hand should anyone need further assistance. Please feel free to contact us at tickets@sundowncinema.co.uk if you are concerned about anything and someone will be more than happy to assist you.

We appreciate that sometimes circumstances mean that you can no longer make an event, in those situations please try to pass the tickets on to a friend or family member as we are unable to offer refunds if you decide not to come.  If a screening is cancelled, then tickets will either be refunded or transferred. Booking Protection is offered through Ticket Source at the point of purchase, this is a service offered by a company called XCover, if you need to make a claim, please contact X Cover  directly rather than Sundown or Ticket Source.  We advise that you read the terms and conditions before making a decision as to whether purchase protection.  Please note that it does not cover guests who no longer want to attend due to inclement weather.

Please check the venue page for the parking availability at each venue, whilst most of our venue have parking, we do occasionally have parking restrictions or no parking available.

As an outdoor event we are subject to the whims of the British summer! We only cancel our events if the weather poses a risk to guests, staff or equipment. Only in exceptional circumstances will rain stop a screening so please dress according to the weather forecast. Decisions to cancel an event may not be made until the day of the event.

If you’ve never been to a Sundown event before then you may be surprised at what other guests bring on site (tables, lanterns, blow up sofas we’ve seen it all) – here are some of the things we allow on site…

• Most venues permit guests to bring a picnic on site (though to be honest we’re always first in line at the food vendors)
• A torch or lantern – Our evening events won’t finish until after dark and even though the tower lights go on a torch is always a good thing to have when someone (naming no names) can’t find the car keys.
• Clothing appropriate for the weather forecast – even on the sunniest of days the weather will be cooler after the sun goes down – At many venues we have blankets for sale, but an extra layer is a good move.
• Something to sit on – you can rent deck chairs and beanbags at the point of purchase but if you fancy bringing a rug or chair from home then bring it along.
• Your tickets and cash or card to hit the bar with!

Please bear in mind that guests who use torches to disrupt the screening will be asked to leave, likewise guests with high-backed chairs or golfing umbrellas maybe asked to move to the sides or rear of the venue.

For obvious reasons this isn’t a definitive list but should act as a guide.

• Pets – crowded events are not the best place for your four (or two) legged friends. This is the case even where the venue may normally allow pets.
• Speakers, sound, or light equipment including laser pens.
• Barbecues, candles, sparklers, fireworks – basically if it’s on fire it’s not welcome.
• Grumpiness
• Drugs
• Weapons, including imitation weapons.

Event staff may refuse admission to guests who act in a way that disrupts the event for other guests or puts people or equipment at risk, their decision is final and we do not allow guests to bring items that could disrupt the experience for other guests.  CCTV is frequently used on site for the prevention of crime and anti social behaviour.

For most of the films we show the BBFC rating is advisory and films that are listed as U, PG and 12A can legally be attended by children of any age however the content may not be suitable for all children. Children under the age of 1 (i.e. before they’ve had their 1^st birthday) can attend our events for free. For films rated 15 or 18 it is illegal for us to admit guests under the prescribed age, and we do not sell children’s tickets to either of these events. Guests under the age of 16 must have an adult ticketholder attending with them. For more information read this article too.

Hey congratulations! It’s always lovely to receive a gift from someone…  If you have a Sundown Cinema gift voucher, then simply choose the film you’d like to see and enter the voucher number at the checkout – Easy! If you need extra help, read the details on our gift voucher page, or just get in touch.

If your event was cancelled the ticket booker will receive an email with instructions on what will happen next.  Where possible we’ll try to reschedule, sometimes this isn’t possible due to time restrictions or licensing requirements in which case we will refund your ticket purchase. You do not need to apply as this will happen automatically. Please note that refunds can take up to 10 working days to appear on your card statement.  If you purchased upgrades like Beanbags, Deckchairs or Gazebos these will also be refunded but frequently appear as a second refund for reasons that even we don’t understand!  You may sometimes get a email with the refund amount that doesn’t include the extras but if you check your account you should see two payments.  If you haven’t received a refund within 10 working days, please let us know and we’ll check it out asap! Please note that optional items like XCover or postage are not refunded in the event of a cancellation.

If you’d like to smoke or vape at our events we ask that you do so away from the viewing areas. This is usually marked by our yellow flags but at some venues we’re unable to erect these, in those instances please smoke or vape towards the rear of the screening.

Most of our events use a sound system that with speakers however some venues (or films) are screened with wireless headphones. We do this because the dialogue or audio could cause offence or because the venue and film choice requires the use of headphones. Our headphones were specifically selected for the quality of dialogue replication and you’ll hear things from the film you’d not noticed before! They also allow you adjust the volume to your preferred level. We do offer trade hire of headphones too.

The British Board of Film Classification is the organisation responsible for the classification of films in the UK

U  – Suitable for all

PG – Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for younger children. A PG film should not disturb a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content might upset younger or more sensitive children.

12 & 12A – 12A means that anyone aged 12 or over can go and see the film unaccompanied. The A stands for ‘accompanied’ and ‘advisory’. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult (eg someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them.

15 – No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema.  15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age.

18 –  No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema. No 18 rated works are suitable for children.

The classification is a relatively blunt tool and we recommend reading reviews or visiting commonsensemedia.org.uk if bringing children.

Our evening films may start after dark and end late – please bear this in mind when bringing children.

Yes, in fact in most instances you’ll need two.

You’ll require a Temporary Event Notice from your local authority to show the film and You’ll also need permission to show the film from the rights holders, in most instances this is obtained through Filmbank Media, we can assist with the information required to apply. Further details can be found here gov.uk/temporary-eventsnotice and filmbankmedia.com.

This depends on the screen you’ve hired We need a minimum unobstructed width of 2.5 meters (8’) & a minimum unobstructed height of 3.9 meters (13’) for access for our mobile LED screens.

In busy or congested streets, corners where we have to turn onto the site must be clear of parked vehicles both when we arrive and when we leave.  It is important that you let us know at the time of booking of any obstacles which could affect us getting onto the event area. Steep inclines or declines are not possible to travel over. The screen itself requires a space of approximately 8 metres x 8 metres, this allows us to position the screen and set up. We suggest that guests sit a minimum of 10 metres from the screen from the screen and no further away than 50 metres, the screen has a wide viewing angle, so a width of up to 25 metres is no problem at all. These figures are just guides and we frequently use spaces that are smaller and larger. The area where the screen is should have no overhanging branches or power lines and should be level and flat.

We can provide beanbags and/or deckchairs at an extra cost – these can then be hired out to raise extra funds. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking if you would like these to be a feature of your event.

We use spreader plates under each of the levelling arms for the screen and where space allows take slow and wide turns with 4 wheel drive disengaged to minimise any grass damage. We can also set up on tarmac and are always happy to discuss any specific requirements with the Site Manager.

Our on board generator provides the power for running the show.

All our staff are aware of their Health & Safety obligations and we provide a full risk assessment and Method Statement for every event. In addition we carry our own fire extinguishers and workplace first aid kit.

Most importantly the film should be age appropriate for the audience. There will be some films that aren’t available and we can advise on these.

We recommend booking at least 6 months in advance to get your preferred date, but be aware that weekends in the summer are frequently booked up over a year ahead. A 25% non-refundable deposit is required to hold the date.

Our equipment is suitable for use in almost all weather and can go ahead in even heavy rain. We strongly suggest that you include the following wording on your tickets: “This event will go ahead in all weather so please dress appropriately for the forecast. As this event is a fundraiser for the school if we do have to cancel we will consider the ticket price a donation. Refunds will be issued upon request” Assuming that our vehicles can still access the site, we would only need to cancel in the event of a thunderstorm where it would be considered dangerous to go ahead. We will always try to work with schools to rearrange, but this is at our discretion and not a guarantee. You may wish to consider event insurance as unfortunately we cannot bring our equipment inside.

Assuming the film has them, then yes – please just let our technician know on the day.

Yes, there are restrictions on associating brands with the film title itself, but we can display slides etc.  Please get in touch with our schools team if you have any questions regarding the format.

Yes, we have an ‘event safe’ child friendly soundtrack but we can play your own soundtrack if required, simply provide it on a laptop or media player.