Residents of Smalltown and Dullbridge have reacted with fury to Smalltown Culture and Arts Manager (SCAM), Debbie Karmary’s new Give Any Money Buy Tickets (GAMBiT) cinema screenings, with most claiming that they will boycott the White Elephant Enclosure in favour of the Blitz Cinema.
Taking to social media, residents pulled no punches in venting their anger at the plan to undercut the ticket prices offered by The Blitz.
“Bit unfair to do this when we have a cinema literally 2 minutes away who charge a very reasonable ticket price already. How about trying to support the businesses in the town for once instead of putting them out of business!!
I would much rather pay the, already more than reasonable, prices of the Ritz Cinema thanks!” commented Perry Kayne
Penny Jar added “Amazing how much money gets put into the White Elephant Enclosure to keep it running and they can’t come up with ideas to create revenue that doesn’t negatively impact another business?”
Whilst Mandy D’eath thought “Not very community spirited. We are lucky to have a cinema, it seems a shame that the WEE would seek to undermine their business. Maybe if they started having events that people actually wanted to see, maybe a little less Anne Wibblewobble, perhaps they wouldn’t be struggling and trying to pinch someone else’s income stream. If it was the intention of the management to build support for The Blitz while creating bad press for the WEE, then they have succeeded. If not, you have to wonder if they know what they are doing.”
However Bekky Barracuda, wife of BeFuddled leader Councillor Banish Barracuda, tried to defend the idea by saying “Fabulous to see such support for the Blitz, I agree it’s an amazing cinema and we are very lucky to have it in Smalltown. I am sad that nobody has considered the families this is aimed at though. The WEE have obviously thought about how to help families who might be finding it difficult to find affordable ways to entertain their young ones over the school holidays and I think this is a great idea. I doubt very much that the Blitz will suffer by the WEE showing 4 (not even current) children’s films in the morning.”
Resident Dave Cannon hit back “A money pit with very little to offer most peoole in the town now potentially putting another business down. Most people have the ability to show their kids and other older films at home so this is a weak argument for me. Desperation to keep an almost dead duck from drowning altogether. I’m sure the money that’s ploughed into this could be put to much better use.”
With the vast majority of residents in agreement that they will stick to watching films at the Blitz, it seems the SCAM’s latest GAMBiT is heading for disaster before it even starts.