Pop Goes Tradition As Britons Face Ban On Crunchy Cinema Snack

[george]

Pop goes tradition as Britons face ban on crunchy cinema snack

The modern cinema-goer has long been accustomed to take popcorn and a soft drink into the auditorium to keep awake during the screening.

To addicts, life without a mouthful of parched maize is no doubt a torment.

All the more reason for them to take thought before visiting London these days.

The Observer reports that some cinemas there are banning the stuff.

A combination of health-conscious horror at the sugar coating and disgust at the distinctive smell is steadily spelling "The End" for the snack in some art-house chains.

Daniel Broch, the owner of the renowned Everyman cinema in London's upmarket Hampstead district, who recently bought 17 more cinemas, said: "I will de-popcorn every new venue I acquire."

"It has a disproportionate influence on the space in terms of its overwhelming smell, the cultural idea of it and the operational problems created by the mess it produces. I'm not saying no popcorn is better than popcorn," he added, "but I am saying there is no way in which it fits with the culturally sophisticated brand I wish to sell."

The Picturehouse Cinema, a chain of 19 venues across Britain, will experiment with popcorn-free screenings in September.

Positively thinking, de-popcorning cinemas ought to drag down maize prices, which have surged 73 per cent in the past year, hitting a record US$6.73 (Bt227.46) a bushel in Chicago in June. This |is mainly due to the growing demand for ethanol production in the US. The Renewable Fuels Association reports that the number of ethanol plants in the United States has increased to 134, up from 50 in 1999. Ethanol is expected to soon absorb 30 per cent of that nation's domestic maize production.

A ban here would certainly lower maize demand. Major Cineplex alone operates 316 screens and about 76,500 seats and controls over 70 per cent of the Thai cinema industry in terms of admission revenue. If Major frowned on popcorn, maize demand would drop by several tonnes per annum, let alone the shock to butter, salt and sugar.

The ban comes at a time when analysts expect global corn output to drop next year due to bad weather, despite the anticipated hike in consumption: according to Bloomberg, global maize consumption is expected to rise to 793.1 million tonnes next year, up from a record 778.9 million tonnes this year.

Interested in helping soften maize prices by banning popcorn? Put it in your tank, not your mouth.

-- The nation 2008-08-18

[PhilHarries]

Popcorn is an American not a British cultural thing.

[nidge]

Popcorn is an American not a British cultural thing.

If you say so!

[gymshark]

Good, it always pisses me off listening to all the munching and crisp packet scrunching during a movie.

[madjbs]

A ban here would certainly lower maize demand. Major Cineplex alone operates 316 screens and about 76,500 seats and controls over 70 per cent of the Thai cinema industry in terms of admission revenue. If Major frowned on popcorn, maize demand would drop by several tonnes per annum, let alone the shock to butter, salt and sugar.

Are they having a laugh?

[fred2007]

Good, it always pisses me off listening to all the munching and crisp packet scrunching during a movie.

[Ulysses G.]

Popcorn normally has salt and sometimes butter on it, not sugar, and can be a quite tasty and healthy snack. Any theatre in the U.S. that tried to ban it would lose lots of money and customers and change their minds in about half an hour.

[gennisis]

Popcorn is an American not a British cultural thing.

and a disgusting one too!!

[wileycoyote]

It must take staff ,ages to clear it up too,it is always scattered around the floor.

No wonder they get so sticky !

[mgjackson69]

It depends on the type of cinema you are frequenting....

That "sticky" might not be from the popcorn

[zaza]

what about Pepsi? It is more hazardous ;if you'd watch a funny movie while drinking it ;there is always a possibility to spit it all on other people's backs who are sitting in front of you while you are laughing.

PS, mind you ;most of the Pepsi smudges on clothes -especially the light colored ones- ;are very difficult to clean. That might acquire an extra use of the detergent and/or longer time in the cycle of washing machine , which will induce a big loss of money/time. This will effect the world economy and the Save Earth and Energy efforts all over the world.

[lazeeboy]

stopped going to the cinema when they banned smoking.......

[tijnebijn]

prefer coke actually .

[zaza]

prefer coke actually .

Bannnnnnnnnnnn Comic Sans,Pepsi

and COKE

[sabaijai]

Why not just ban the sugar-coated and buttered varieties? Plain salted popcorn is healthy ...

[Zpete]

Why not just ban the sugar-coated and buttered varieties? Plain salted popcorn is healthy ...

It is still noisy and messy to clean up.

Now, what about Tata crisps, noise is deafening from crunching and crackling bags, much mess too.

....and the person coughing incessantly nearby.

Luckily, being hard of hearing, I tune my hearing aid into the sound loop now installed in most movie houses.

No extraneous noise, never miss a word, one good thing about be ing deaf.

Mind you, anyone can but a pair of "T" compatible hearing aids.

Edit for spelling

Edited October 31, 2008 by Zpete