Drive-in cinemas near Portsmouth get ready for an entertaining summer

And nearly 60 years later those words certainly resonate with cinema-starved individuals, who have attended drive-in cinemas in their hundreds and enjoyed pre-pandemic blockbusters and cinematic classics from the comfort of their own car seat.

Dubbed as the safest way to enjoy entertainment this summer, drive-in cinemas have social distancing principles at their core. Therefore it’s no surprise these events have been cropping up at venues around Hampshire for everyone to indulge in their own slice of movie magic.

Max Alexander, the CEO of Secret Cinema – a London entertainment company which specialises in immersive film – has launched a new venture at Goodwood Motor Circuit in the form of a drive-in cinema.

However, it is more than that. This all-singing, all-dancing experience brings your American drive-in fantasies alive with classic summer songs blaring from the speakers, deep fried food on tap, and buckets of ice cream handed through your car window.

Max, who has worked with his team to bring 31 films to the outdoor screen throughout the rest of July and August, says the venue, music, and food is all part of a great cinematic experience.

‘For months, people have been sitting at home with their loved ones or even alone, enjoying stories. And however wonderful and rewarding that is, the experience of being immersed in something with others is amazing,’ says Max.

‘We wanted to add something a bit different, such as performance. This gives people a chance to get involved, dress up and do something different.

SEE ALSO: A new drive-in cinema is coming to Hampshire and here are the films you can watch

‘We wanted to make it as safe as possible. No one leaves their cars unless they want to use the toilet. Everything is brought to you.’

And the venue is very close to his heart. Max adds: ‘I visited Goodwood a lot as a young boy and I love it there.

‘We didn’t want to put a drive-in cinema just in a car park, we wanted the location to be special and somewhere which had natural beauty anyway.’

Also across the border in Chichester, Walter Francisco of Chichester Cinema at New Park has been planning a bumper weekend of drive-in events during August Bank Holiday since the cinema closed at the end of March.

The pandemic has hit the film industry hard, with delayed releases, postponed premieres and cinemas being left in the dark for months. Walter, general manager at the cinema, says: ‘It has been difficult with essentially no income and the same amount of outgoings. But we’re lucky to have a genuine group of supporters who either refunded their tickets for donations or have donated via our website straight away, which was heartwarming.

SEE ALSO: The drive-in cinemas coming near to Portsmouth in 2020

‘The people of Chichester seemed to understand the tough situation we were facing and wanted to make sure we would be there on the other side.

‘Whenever I am out and about, I see two or three of our supporters and they’re so looking forward to coming back. And we will be, we’re planning to reopen in the autumn.’

As part of their summer film festival programme, Chichester Cinema at New Park would normally host open air screenings but have now switched to drive-ins, hosted at Chichester Festival Theatre, to be Covid compliant.

Walter explains: ‘We need to slowly leave the life of fear which we have been pushed into because of Covid-19 and the way it has been reported.

‘Cinemas bring so much joy and a chance to escape. We need to find a way of living but with Covid-19 at the forefront of our mind to ensure everyone is safe.

‘The drive-in cinemas give people something to look forward to while feeling completely safe at the same time.’

Closer to home, on the top floor of Cascades Shopping Centre car park, Portsmouth Film Society (PFS) has been running two drive-ins each week since July 10.

Fuelled entirely through the help of dedicated volunteers, PFS has enjoyed bringing the cinema experience back to families across the region.

Coordinator and director Aysegul Epengin says: ‘We’re all volunteers. Half of our ticket prices goes towards our licence and the other half to venue hire. But we’re lucky to have a lovely team.

‘At this time of year, we’re usually holding our outdoor cinemas. We had 15 booked in and ready to go when we went into lockdown, so we had to cancel everything.

‘We were already in talks with Cascades about hosting a drive-in cinema and hosted our first one on July 10. People loved it.

‘We have the capacity for about 65-70 cars with the current social distancing guidelines.’

PFS has an extensive programme of films being shown every week until September, with some free for NHS staff. Like Secret Cinema, PFS are also incorporating entertainment, such as karaoke and games, before every screening.

Aysegul explains: ‘People have stayed in isolation for too long and all of the social activities we are used to experiencing have been cancelled. It’s important for people to still have some enjoyment.

‘But we’re still safe and secure. No one gets out of their cars unless they need the toilet and then there are markers on the floor for people to keep their distance.’

For more details, go to goodwood.com for Secret Cinema events, chichestercinema.org and portsmouthfilmsociety.org.uk.

Questions and answers

How will I watch the film with other cars in front? How much is a ticket? And how do you hear the sound? We’ve got you covered.

Most drive-in cinemas allocate time slots for cars to arrive, to avoid queues and ensure cars are parked in height order. Instead, chaperones will guide you to avoid small cars being parked behind larger ones.

At the entrance to most drive-in cinemas, you will be handed a portable speaker to place in your car which is synced to the film so you don’t miss a word.

Tickets are priced per car, so you can fill every seat. Secret Cinema at Goodwood Motor Circuit charges £50 per car; Chichester Cinema at New Park charges £35, with a special price of £25 for the film Onward; and PFS’ tickets are priced at £20.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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