I am a huge cinema fan, and living in the centre of Birmingham for the last couple of years has meant putting up with Odeon Birmingham. Needless to say, I was very happy to discover the brand spanking new Odeon in Liverpool One,

Odeon Liverpool One

Odeon is actually the largest cinema chain in the UK, created by Oscar Deutsch in 1928. Some say that the name comes from Ancient Greek, others say that it comes from the motto Oscar Deutsch Entertains Our Nation.

There are currently... a lot of Odeon cinemas across the UK (I tried to count, but it's a lot!). The website has a cinema finder to help you locate your nearest. For this review I shall be talking about Odeon, Liverpool ONE.

When Liverpool ONE was redeveloped, the city centre Odeon branch was relocated here. The entrance can be found on Paradise Street, on the upper level of the Liverpool ONE shopping complex, conveniently surrounded by no less than 5 eating establishments, should you feel peckish before or after your film.

It's obviously very central - about a 15 minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street and about 5-10 minutes from Liverpool Central on foot.

The entrance is large, which is perhaps for the best as it can get pretty busy - particularly at weekends and on Wednesdays. The Box Office is located to your right as you enter through automatic doors, and there are three or four tills, although when it's not too busy only one or two are manned. The counter runs along the right side, where the Box Office ends, the food counter begins, where you can buy popcorn, nachos, hotdogs, drinks and other film snacks.

On the opposite side there's another food counter selling Ben & Jerry's ice-cream and smoothies. There's also a pick & mix area which I always have to be dragged past.

Imbedded into part of the ceiling there are some screens which display adverts and trailers, and there are some leather sofas and chairs located towards the far end of the entrance, where you can wait for friends, or simply wait for your screen to open.

Ticket machines can be found right infront of the doors, you can purchase tickets here, but you won't be able to get student discount and I don't think you can get Orange Wednesday tickets here either.

Admission

Buying your tickets is easy. You can check showtimes on the internet or by ringing Odeon's hotline. Film times are also shown on the wall behind the Box Office. This is a little bit inconvenient, particularly if you have eyesight as poor as mine, you can't get close enough to have a look without standing in the way or getting that look off a member of staff behind the desk as if to say 'You actually have to come up to the desk and tell me what film you want to see, I can't read your mind...'

You can purchase tickets online, as well as over the phone, using your mobile phone, or even through your Sky Digital box using the Interactive button. I've never tried these options, but I imagine it's advisable if you want to see a film that has just come out or you know you're going at a time when the cinema will be busy.

You will need to collect your tickets either from the Box Office or the ticket machines I mentioned earlier. You'll need the card you used when making your booking to do so, and you should pick them up in advance of the performance, otherwise you may be refused entry. You can also purchase tickets from these easy-to-use, touch-screen machines.

When purchasing tickets, be aware that Odeon accept all major debit and credit cards, except JCB, Electron, Solo, Style or Duet cards. You may also be charged a card handling fee if you book over the phone or online.

Reserving seats is sometimes required of you, although it's not something you can choose to do. For busier films, you may be able to choose your own seats if booking online, if purchasing tickets at the Box Office or via other methods, seats may be assigned to you. This is only for busier performances, normally on Orange Wednesdays and if a film has just come out, more often than not you get the pick of the auditorium. The earlier you arrive, the more choice you have over where you sit. An usher will normally guide you to your seat if you have been assigned one.

Admission prices vary from Odeon to Odeon. Even within this one branch, there's a long list of prices which vary depending on a lot of factors. I don't wish to list them all, should you wish to consult them they're listed in the Box Office and on the Odeon website, under Liverpool ONE's page. However, a few things you should know:

• Adult = 15 years or over
• Concessions are granted to under 15s, seniors and students (with a valid NUS card - although a
  University ID should do the trick).
• Family tickets are available
• Children under 2 get in for free, providing they sit in your arms. If they take up a seat, you
  have to pay.
• Group bookings are available

Seats can also be divided into three sections:-

• Standard
• Premier
• Gallery

I'll talk about the Gallery in more detail later. Premier seats are located in supposedly the best position in the auditorium to give you the best viewing experience. They're also slightly wider and more comfortable than standard seats. You'll pay an extra £1.50 for the privilege, and it's worth thinking wisely before deciding to buy a standard seat ticket and craftily sneak into a Premier one - I'm not saying it hasn't been done, I'm not saying it won't be done again, but I have seen Odeon staff checking tickets of everyone in Premier seating and politely asking those with Standard tickets to move, on more than one occasion.

I've never personally chosen to buy Premier tickets, nor have I naughtily sat in Premier seats having paid for Standard, so I couldn't comment on the Premier viewing experience. I think it depends a lot on which screen you're in as to whether it's worth it, but from my experience at Liverpool ONE, I don't think it is. All the screens are decent sizes and a decent layout, so it doesn't matter too much where you sit. Certainly when you compare this cinema to other Odeon cinemas, where the rooms are much smaller and badly laid-out, you can see why Premier seating
could be advantageous. At Liverpool ONE, however, it doesn't seem worth it, unless these seats are a lot more comfortable, which, to be honest, I highly doubt. Not all screens offer Premier seating, although the majority do.

Standard seating is more than satisfactory - each chair has a drink holder and the seats are in good condition. Leg room is again, more than satisfactory, although certain rows in certain screens offer slightly more leg room than others, I've noticed.

The Viewing Experience

There's plenty of seating throughout the cinema, should you arrive early and your screen isn't yet open.

Auditorium sizes are fairly consistent, as far as I'm aware. I haven't yet been in all of them yet, but the ones I've experience have been fairly similar in size and layout. To give you an idea, the largest screen seats 288, including place for 4 wheelchairs. 60 of these seats are Premier.

The smallest screen seats 114 people, has no Premier seating, but has space for 2 wheelchairs. The cinema claims to have 18 screens - in fact, if we're going to be picky, there are 14 screens, 4 of which (screens 10-13) have this elusive Gallery and as such are accessed differently.

Screen size and quality are also very pleasing in all of the screens I've been in. I'm not good with technical stuff, but the picture and sound quality are both fine. My boyfriend is more aware about sound quality than I am, and he's never complained about this particular cinema.

The trailers start at the advertised time for the film, and they last 25 minutes, something worth bearing in mind. Some people hate the trailers, and would happily forego them, others want to see them. I form part of the latter group I'm afraid... For those of you who would rather give them a miss, be careful about what time you do turn up, as Odeon have the right to refuse entry if they feel it would disrupt others. With advance screenings they're normally particularly strict about this, although the last film I saw they were more than leniant, with people still trickling in half an hour into the film - very frustrating! I really get the impression that this was a one off, as
most of the films I've seen here have not had many latecomers.

Speaking of which, I've never seen anyone removed from this cinema, as yet. In other Odeons I've been to, there have been some rather annoying and inconsiderate people who think it's alright to talk through films and be just generally loud and rude. Odeon staff have responded quickly and efficiently in these instances. I do see members of staff/security coming into the auditoriums
from time to time, but just generally I've noticed that there seems to be less disruption at this cinema (touch wood!) The most irritating incident to date (besides late comers wandering up and down the aisles pondering where they should sit - just pick somewhere and sit down already!!) has been an old lady in the row behind me deciding to give an audio commentary to her husband throughout the duration of Inglorious Basterds.

Overall, I find the viewing experience here to be a pleasant one. The auditoriums are well laid-out and comfortable. They're well lit by spotlights at the beginning and end of the film, meaning you don't have to risk life and limb finding your seat or getting out at the end. The lights obviously go down whilst the film is on, but if you do need to leave the auditorium for any reason during the film, or you do come in late, the stairs are lit so you won't need to fumble around too much.

Food

I always go to the cinema with the best intentions of NOT buying any food. My boyfriend however, is the flaw in the plan. We nearly always end up buying at least some popcorn, so I'm now, shamefully, quite the connoisseur.

There's a decent range of food available, the usual cinema fare - popcorn, nachos, crisps, chocolate etc. They're reasonably priced, and there are lots of deals to be had, most notably the combos. The only things that I find really overpriced are the things like the packets of chocolates or crisps. They also offer freebies, at the moment, if you buy any combo, you'll get a free KitKat, and I saw a couple buying some Ben & Jerry's, which came with a free bag.

I find the quality of the food on offer to be satisfactory. The popcorn is hit and miss, sometimes you get it at just the right time and it's still warm, at others it comes dangerously close to 'cardboardy' on the taste and texture scale. The drinks from the pump are large, but inevitably watered down. However, they're ice cold and very refreshing, perfect for washing down that popcorn. I've never tried the nachos here as my boyfriend found the portion size to be a bit stingy but I was perfectly happy with my hot dog. The pick and mix is great too, although you have to be careful not to get carried away, otherwise it'll cost a small fortune. You can only
weigh it at the tills.

I'm fairly sure it's frowned upon to bring your own food and drink, but I've never had my bag checked, so I guess it's not impossible to discreetly bring your own.

The Gallery

At long last, the mystery is over. Entrance to the Gallery promises VIP treatment. It also comes with a VIP price tag...

Anyway, the concept is this. You buy a ticket for a film as per usual, obviously asking for a Gallery ticket. This grants you access to an exclusive bar both before and after your film. You can help yourself to free snacks and drinks. The website says 'unlimited free soft drinks, tea/coffee, popcorn or nachos'. The wording of this leaves me in doubt as to whether everything is free and indeed unlimited, or if it's just the drinks.

The gallery seats are located in the back of screens 10-13. They're accessed via a different door and separate from the rest of the seats in the cinema, so you'd have to be very naughty indeed to consider trying to sit in one of these seats without paying for the privilege. The seats are extra wide and look very comfortable. They have a drinks holder and a small table for your snacks. In some cinemas, you're allowed to purchase alcoholic drinks at the bar and bring them into the auditorium.

The Gallery is for over 18s only. I've not yet forked out the £16 that would grant me access to this exclusive part of the cinema but am certainly planning on seeing if it's worth the extra money. I will update my review accordingly once I have done so. For the minute, I can't make up my mind about it. It seems a lot of money to pay for a cinema ticket, but if you're someone who spends a lot of snacks, you could easily make your money back on the freebies.

Facilities

There are toilets available on every floor of the cinema. I've not used all of them, but I have found them to be clean on every occasion I've used them. I've never heard anyone else complaining about the toilets at Odeon either, neither female nor male, so I can only assume that the gents' are as clean as the ladies'.

All of the toilets are located beyond the ticket check point, so there's no chance of using the facilities unless you're a paying customer.

I don't know whether the cinema has any baby-changing facilities, it's not something I've noticed but then it's not something I've ever looked for either. I've never seen any disabled toilets, although given how well the cinema caters for disabled people in other aspects, it would surprise me if they don't have any.

How friendly is the cinema?

Child-friendly - They have several different screenings to make life easier for parent and child. Newbies, for examples, is a weekday morning screening exclusively for parents with babies. The volume is slightly lower and the lighting remains up to help make the experience as comfortable for possible for both baby and parent. There are also screenings for young children at the weekends. For each child you pay for, an adult goes free. Not bad!

Wheelchair-friendly - The cinema screens are split over three levels, all accessible by lift. I've seen members of staff offering to assist wheelchair users to their places on more than one occasion. Every screen has space for at least 2 wheelchairs, although I'm not sure if wheelchair users would have access to the Gallery section.

For those who are hard of hearing, the cinema does show films with captions, although the number of films shown is limited. They also offer Audio Described films, whereby a recorded narration explains what is happening on screen during gaps in the dialogue. The audio description is played through personal headphones, which are available upon request at the Box Office. Both captioned and Audio Described films are listed separately in the film listings on the website.

An Infra Red loop system is installed at the Box Office and in all auditoriums.

Guide or hearing dogs are welcome for all showings.

It's also worth noting that Liverpool ONE, like all Odeon cinemas, accepts the CEA card which entitles the holder to one free ticket for their carer.

Other Extras

* 3D - I would say that there is nearly always a 3D on show here. I've noticed that more and more films are coming out in 3D now, and a nice variety to cater for all tastes and ages. It will cost a tad more to watch a 3D film, but they are worth it. You are provided with glasses when you buy your tickets.

* Advance Screenings - if you're lucky enough to get your hands on tickets, Odeon do screen films before general release. I've managed to see one so far - a whole 10 days before general UK release.

* Educational films - Odeon Liverpool ONE claim to show films that are relevant to subjects covered in the national curriculum and encourage schools to bring groups on visits, and also suggesting that it could be useful for students in further and higher education studying media and communication. They can provide more information if you contact them, including special booking rates.

* Conferences - Odeon Liverpool ONE can cater for regional meetings for up to 50 delegates or national conferences for up to 1679 (random number) and believe that hosting a conference or event at an Odeon cinema will give you 'an interesting and unique environment that will stimulate the delegates and get your meeting off to an exciting start'

Odeon Première Club

I think this is worthy of a review in its own right, so I'll just cover the basics. It's basically a reward card. Since they don't offer any kind of unlimited ticket card, as other chains do, they've come up with this reward scheme, whereby every pound you spend equates to a point, which build up and can be used to buy tickets or snacks.

However, it does come at a small cost. There are three packages:

*£1.99 - the card comes with 100 points

*£3.99 - the card comes with 500 points

*£9.99 - the card comes with 1000 points and you get double points for the first month

This payment is a one-off payment. You can use your card online, at the ticket machines, at the Box Office...whenever you spend money at Odeon. Your points can then be exchanged for more tickets, some popcorn. There's a full and comprehensive list of what you can buy and how many points you'll need to buy them. You'll also find a list of participating cinemas. Currently, only a handful have the scheme in place, but it's slowly be introduced Nationwide.

Overall Opinion

I really like this cinema. I'm someone who goes to the cinema a lot and I'm a very happy customer at this branch of Odeon. I've been to other branches out of convenience but not really enjoyed the full film experience. Here, it's a different story. Staff are polite and friendly on the whole, I've only ever encountered one guy who was a bit stressed because it was Orange Wednesday.

The cinema is a clean and pleasant environment and all of the screens are decent. In other branches of Odeon, I've worried about what screen I might be in as they're not always well laid-out so it's a scramble to get decent seats. I don't have that problem here. The ticket prices are more expensive than what I've been used to at other Odeons, but I feel the price is reflected in the quality of the cinema.

It gets 4 and a half stars from me, which I've rounded up on the product rating.