Peter Bradshaw is quite right that many people still love the “democracy and equality” of going to the cinema together (After the intermission: films are back in cinemas – but will the crowds return too?, 24 August). However, this only applies if screenings are actually accessible to all.
People with autism or other sensory issues can be put off trips to the cinema if the foyer environment and ticket-purchasing experience (including issues such as lighting) are too overwhelming and stressful, or if staff are not trained in autism awareness.
But there is real demand for accessible screenings. Indeed, our research has found clear majorities of people with autism who visit the cinema do so because they prefer it to streaming at home, with the main reasons for this being getting to see a film on a big screen and experiencing the joy of going out.
Thankfully, adjustments can often be easily made to cinemas to enable autism-friendly screenings, and many cinemas host these at least once a month. Dimensions offers free training to independent cinemas so they can host their own autism-friendly screenings.
Steve Scown
Chief executive, Dimensions
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