Entertainment focus: Cinemas and what they charge

"DON'T forget to visit the retail stand!" For any mum or dad who had conveniently "forgotten" to stock up on popcorn, sweets and fizzy drinks for the blockbuster night ahead, the automated voice booming from the ticket machines in the cinema foyer will inevitably ensure a bout of pestering from the little darlings – and a serious hole in the parental wallet.

For what was once a fairly cheap night out – a weekly Friday night treat looked forward to by couples and families alike – a trip to the cinema has, in recent years, turned into a costly event.

An outing to see the latest blockbuster film can set back an average four-person family about 50 – once tickets, popcorn, drinks and the obligatory 3D glasses have been paid for.

The rise in popularity of the latest generation of 3D films has given cinema companies the chance to hike ticket prices – charging higher sums to watch the film and even more to buy a pair of "reusable" 3D glasses – reminiscent of those which used to come free on the back of cornflake packets in the 1980s.

And the cost of drinks and snacks, marketed in bright colours to attract the attention of hungry youngsters, are also burning a hole in family finances.

An average tub of popcorn costs between 3.70 and 4.60, while the cost of a standard-sized cup of a fizzy drink can be as high as 3.90.

Some cinemas attempt to lure punters to the "retail stands" by selling tickets alongside food and beverages, offering impatient cinema-goers a chance to skip lengthy queues at the main box office. Others have started to strongly discourage people from bringing in their own snacks from home.

"Last year at the cinema in Edinburgh, we were stopped for having our own food and had to take it back to the car," recalls mum Katie O'Donnell, who has two sons, aged nine and 11.

She adds: "But children invariably want food. The price of the food and drink is outrageously expensive and probably adds another 15 to our cinema trip."

It may have driven film audiences higher – the latest statistics from the now-defunct UK Film Council showed that audience numbers had reached an eight-year high of 1.75 million last year as a result of the new technology's launch – but watching a 3D movie is not cheap.

A survey by The Scotsman has revealed that the difference between a "normal" peak time adult ticket at the Odeon and a seat in a 3D film is a whopping 2, taking the price at its cinema on Edinburgh's Lothian Road up to 10.85.

At rival chain Vue, which has seven cinemas north of the Border, including two in Edinburgh and one each in Hamilton, Stirling, Inverness and Aberdeen, the price difference between 2D and 3D ranges from 2 to 2.60, depending on the venue – boosting the cost of an adult ticket at Edinburgh's Omni Centre to 9.80.

In addition, the 3D glasses – which many parents claim they end up having to buy on every visit as their offspring lose or damage them between cinema trips – can cost up to 1 for each pair.

"It's fair to say that tickets for 3D and IMAX performances do attract a price premium, simply because this technology offers an enhanced film experience including impressive 3D effects, digital projection and crystal clear sound," says a spokeswoman for Vue. But the Cinema Exhibitors' Association (CEA) insists that going to see a film still represents the best value leisure entertainment – claiming comparable activities such as sports matches, theatres or bowling will be significantly more expensive.

The average cost of a cinema ticket last year was just under 6, according to the CEA – with costs tending to be higher in cities and lower in rural areas.

"Ticket prices are going up as the cost of running a cinema goes up," said CEA chief executive Phil Clapp. "Energy bills are rising and cinemas are major users of electricity for heating, lighting and projection. There is only a limited scope for cinemas being able to absorb those rising costs."

He added: "Some cinemas offer tickets for families, while others, especially the major operators, are trialling off-peak tickets. I think the message for customers is to shop around for the best price."

Ginnie Atkinson, former chief executive of the Filmhouse, agreed. "Compared with other art forms, it is not actually that expensive," she said. "If you compare a film festival, with, say, the Fringe, the same is true. People see nothing wrong with paying 15 to see experimental dance at the Fringe, but they get upset at having to pay 10 to see a premiere at a film festival."

She added that the knock-on effect of film piracy – when people download films online illegally – could have hiked prices at cinemas.

"People have to accept the cost of piracy to the film industry," she said. "This is what film-makers have been warning about for some time."

While the large chains remain most popular with the family demographic, it is, ironically, the independent cinemas which offer the lowest ticket prices. The Cameo in Edinburgh charges just 6 for an adult ticket – including a "refurbishment" charge which goes to maintenance work on the building on Home Street.

Manager Emma Mortimore said companies were finding it difficult to make money from the price of cinema tickets due to large portions creamed off by the film distributors.

"We have to charge for things like popcorn because it is the only way we can make money," she said. "The distributors take the majority of the ticket money, so it is quite difficult to make money off the sales themselves."

The cinema, which is owned by boutique chain City Screen, put a voluntary 30p surcharge on tickets two years ago to help pay for the renovation of the historic picturehouse, which was founded in 1914.

"Most people are very happy to pay it, but very occasionally you get someone who queries it," admits Mortimore. "But we need to charge this to pay for the renovations. It's an old building and needs a lot of work."

However, while the Cameo – and its independent rival, the Dominion in Morningside, – have the cheapest seats in the capital, families still flock to the big chains. "We just don't tend to get the family market – I don't think we appeal to them," added Ms Mortimore.

Parents admit that their children are looking for the big cinema experience – forcing them to pay the higher price.

"It is the lure of the blockbuster experience," explained Imogen Russon, a committee member for the Edinburgh For Under Fives activity listing series. "It's a real experience for the children – they want the glitz and the glamour of a big cinema, but it is expensive. It has to be more of a one off treat rather than a regular occurrence."

Additional reporting: Angharad Lewis and Denise Tierney

LISA TIERNEY, 42, a finance worker from Edinburgh, has two children, seven-year-old Mica and four-year-old Lexie:

Last time I took the kids to the cinema it was about two to three weeks ago. The ticket price to see a movie is about 20 and that's for one adult and two kids. If there was another adult coming with us, it would cost another 8.

3D films are more expensive again – another 2.10 per adult and 1.50 per child. Often, depending on which cinema you go to, you have to pay an extra 80p for each pair of glasses you purchase. You can save them from the last trip, but I don't think they last well.

The thing that I really grudge spending money on, because it is so overpriced, is the food and drink. I'm lucky because the kids are pretty good and don't push it. Popcorn, juice, sweets and hot dogs would easily cost you another 20 or 30 on top if you were feeding two adults and two kids, but personally, I'd rather take them for a burger before or after the show. We do what most others probably do and take drinks and sweets in with us.

The best alternative for us is to go to one of the "Movie for Juniors" screenings on Saturday mornings – they cost 1 each. When I was a teenager the popcorn and sweets were all within our budgets but now they are astronomical.