Review: Avatar Bowling/Reel Cinema Kidderminster

Retrospective review… delayed due to Winter madness

Anyhow… back in October we found out that Avatar Bowling was opening in Kidderminster. So at the end of October we went to see what it was like (combined with a trip to the neighbouring Reel Cinema. I should note that the two establishments are completely separate but they are reviewed together as they happened in the same day.

I’ll start with the cinema, I won’t review the film, just the establishment. The cinema was small – just 4 screens. If you go in thinking luxury, modern cinema you may be disappointed. If you go in thinking small, independent cinema you will likely have your expectations met, or exceeded. The foyer was street level, where the tickets could be purchased alongside a reasonable selection of snacks (and actually as far as cinemas go, they had some offers that meant the food was slightly less expensive, still at a premium but slightly lower than prices you’d find at say Vue/Cineworld/Odeon). There was a wheelchair lift up to the screens (all upstairs), with toilets and a little area for children’s parties. The screening rooms were intimate and surprisingly comfortable. For a family of 4 with some snacks it came to just shy of £35. The staff were friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. Overall, it was a great experience and we’d do it again.

With regards to Avatar Bowling. The children had never been bowling before (well to our knowledge). So we just payed for them to bowl as we had no idea how long they’d take, especially considering their mobility/motor issues and such. The pricing was reasonable, and we had initially planned that if they got on with the first game that we’d play as a family for a round after and have food there and some drinks. However, the constant eyes on, and the suspicious looks as they were playing (even down to just getting a frame for Caitlin to use to roll the ball down as even the light ones were too heavy for her) was off putting and frankly uncomfortable. So we left, never to return. Funnily enough, not many weeks later they banned children from the establishment.