Odeon installs beds that can fit three people in eight UK cinema branches

Odeon has installed front row beds in eight of its cinemas - with enough room for three people.

The cinema chain says the beds offer “extended legroom and greater space” and rather than being marketed just for couples, bosses say they are “perfect for young families to cosy up in the best seat and immerse themselves in ”. The headrests have also been tilted to avoid painful necks when looking up at the screen.

says the VIP beds can be retro fitted and adapted to other existing sites - and plans to install them in a ninth location by the end of the year. Film fans will pay between £22 and £42 for three people, depending on location and times.

It comes after Odeon re-launched its Norwich branch, which has become a premium 14-screen Odeon Luxe. Odeon Luxe is a premium version of the cinema chain that comes with fully-reclining seats and an upmarket bar. Luxe now represents around a third of the entire Odeon estate.

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Odeon first confirmed the rollout of further Luxe sites earlier this year, and said the investment was partly in anticipation of a strong period for blockbuster releases, with several hotly anticipated movies coming out later this year, includingWicked: Part One, Gladiator II, Paddington in Peru and Moana 2.

Odeon, which has about 280 cinemas across Europe and is owned by US giant AMC Theatres, did not include a figure for how much it was spending on the openings. Suzie Welch, Odeon UK managing director, said: “We are delighted to have made a series of investments into expanding and upgrading our cinema estate and can’t wait to welcome guests to discover our best-in-class experience.

“These refurbishments reflect our long-term commitment to building our reputation as a trusted and valued tenant of choice for our landlords as well as our relentless focus on making movies better by driving innovation in the big-screen experience.”

It comes after rival Cineworld closed five branches this month after a High Court approved a major restructuring plan to keep the business afloat. Film fans had to say goodbye to Cineworld sites in Swindon, Glasgow, Bedford, Yate and Loughborough.

Cine-UK Ltd, Cineworld Cinemas Ltd, Cineworld Cinema Properties Ltd and Cineworld Estates Ltd, which are parts of the UK arm of Cineworld, were at risk of collapsing if the restructure had not been given the green light. The four companies, which run 101 sites and employ 4,401 staff, form part of a wider group which operates cinemas in 10 countries, including the US under the Regal Cinemas brand. The approval means £16million of new funding will be released from the parent company, with further funds of up to £35million also to be made available.

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