Given my recent video, I really do want to say that Showcase is going above and beyond. You look at their seating map, and it is properly clustered, as it should be. If all chains were doing this, I might have considered going. It really isn't difficult.

Empire, one of the small chains, also deserves a pat on the back because they too are also doing things correctly. When I book a seat here (13), the next screen shows that they are blocking off the entire area around it, in correct cluster patterning.

(I actually have an Empire, but they have been very slow to roll out their sites, and mine has not reopened yet. But clearly they are actually taking a greater deal of care.)

Let me ask, what is stopping the bigger chains from implementing this? If the smaller chains can do it, the bigger ones have absolutely no excuses. Cineworld's "alteration" to their booking system is painfully minimal.

Odeon's system here is also moving me around when I try to book behind someone. That said, it does seem to struggle with two people seated, given it wasn't moving me when I selected to sit behind the seat on the right of either pair...

Sadly, Vue is taking the same route as Cineworld. They have blocked two seats beside, but none in front and back, and you can easily sit behind people. At least they've incorporated NHS Track and Trace. But poor show here.

I did attempt to try Reel, as I have one a few towns over and I forget that chain exists. Difficult to really work out what they're doing, as it isn't shown the booking page when you attempt to book. The greyed out seats imply... something.

The surprising failure is Everyman, who appears to have done nothing to alter their booking, because I can literally book right next to someone. Oof.

Finally, I went with a real indie, the Westway Cinema in Frome, who have been open for a while now, but struggling to get people through the doors. And props to them, as the correct distancing is in place.

So if you have a small chain or an indie - so Showcase, Empire, or Reel - give them some love and support, they are taking this seriously and have your back. Vue, Cineworld, and (bloody hell) Everyman need serious improvement.

But, above all, check the seating plan in advance.