Cinema goers were caught up in chaos after a packed Odeon cinema descended into what one customer described as “unsafe and disorganised” scenes.
Adetutu Anifowose had pre-booked tickets to watch Behind the Scenes, produced by celebrated Nigerian filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele.
The screening was due to start at 8:15pm, but despite arriving on time, Adetutu says she and her mother were met with scenes of total disorder.
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She claimed crowds packed wall-to-wall and spilling out towards the cinema’s entrance.
It happened at Odeon Greenwich, south east London.
“When we got there, the situation was overwhelming,” Adetutu claimed to Need To Know.
“The cinema was completely packed, with people filling the space all the way to the outside doors.
“There was a lot of screaming and shouting of the actors’ and actresses’ names because it was premiere night.
“When the actors and actresses went upstairs, the crowd became even more chaotic.
“Everyone started pushing each other while trying to get popcorn and drinks.”
She added: “My mother and I tried to make our way upstairs, but it was so crowded that I had to shout for people to let us pass because our movie had already started and we were still downstairs.
“What made it worse was hearing that people who had earlier movie times were still downstairs.
“I also heard that people with later showings were in the same crowd.
“Clearly, no one was following their scheduled times, which made the crowd much bigger and the situation completely unsafe and disorganised.”
Adetutu, of Islington, north London, claimed: “My main issue is that the cinema could have done much better.
“There should have been proper crowd control, clear directions, and separate lines to keep things organised and safe.
“I managed to squeeze through the crowd, but my mum was left behind.
“I had to shout repeatedly for people to let her through because we were together, which was extremely stressful.”
The 29-year-old said the “awful” experience has put her off the cinema chain for good.
She added: “As a mother of two boys, I made the effort to come out expecting a relaxing and enjoyable evening.
“Instead, I went home more stressed, more tired, and feeling like it wasn’t worth it.
“Sadly, I won’t be returning to Odeon Cinema unless I know these issues have been properly fixed.”
Odeon has been approached for comment about the incident on 4 December.
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