Macrobert Arts Centre is set to launch a new Pay What You Can scheme, which will make their cinema tickets the cheapest in Stirling, Brig can exclusively reveal.
From March, this pricing structure will be rolled out across their regular film programme, following a trial run at the Central Scotland Documentary Festival in October 2018.
Cinema goers will be asked to make an “honest choice” about whether they can afford to pay £4.50, £6.50 or £8.50 for screenings.
Under the new scheme, the price of student tickets will typically be £1.50 lower than the current £6 admission.
Macrobert’s Artistic Director, Julie Ellen, said: “We believe that great cinema should be for everyone.
“In autumn 2018 we tested a Pay What You Can pricing structure for the Central Scotland Documentary Festival, asking everyone to make an honest choice about what they could afford to pay for their cinema ticket. Our audiences loved it.
“We want you to be able to choose Macrobert Arts Centre for your cinema experience and realise that price can be an important part of the choices that we all make. At the same time, as a registered charity we rely on our audience’s loyalty to be able to offer a varied, independent film programme alongside great blockbusters.
“Those who can afford to pay more will be helping us make sure that everyone will be able to access great film here at Macrobert Arts Centre.”
Ellen also teased that “there will be further benefits on offer to University of Stirling students.”
This follows the news that Stirling’s Vue cinema has also cut their ticket costs with all films now set at £4.99, or £6.99 for VIP seats.
Following a campaign by the Stirling Observer, which found that the Stirling location was among Scotland’s most expensive cinemas, the entertainment chain has more than halved their standard ticket prices.
Speaking before the Macrobert announcement, MSP for Stirling Bruce Crawford said: “I am pleased about the decision to of the Vue to reduce its prices and I congratulate them on taking this course of action.
“These reduced admission prices will help to make a trip to the Cinema more affordable particularly for people like students in the area who have to get by, in many circumstances, on a lower level of income.”
