Paid for Ultra LUX, Received Anything But
We visited Vue Poole on Sunday 12 July 2026 for the 15:40 showing of Minions in Screen 14, booking Ultra LUX seats for seven of us as part of our twins' birthday celebration. We paid a premium expecting Vue's best cinema experience.
Instead, the auditorium was unbearably hot throughout the entire film. It became so uncomfortable that members of our group had to leave the screening on numerous occasions just to cool down before returning. This completely ruined what should have been a special birthday treat.
We raised the issue with staff during the screening and were told there was nothing they could do. It was obvious we weren't the only ones affected, as several other customers were also complaining about the heat.
Before writing this review, I contacted Vue Customer Services twice to give the company the opportunity to put things right. Customer Services have now told me that because our tickets had been collected, any refund or goodwill gesture is the responsibility of Vue Poole. Despite this, Vue Poole has not responded to my complaint at all.
I understand that air conditioning systems can fail, but if the cinema knew there was an issue, they should have informed customers before the screening or cancelled it, rather than charging full price for a premium Ultra LUX experience that was clearly not fit for purpose.
What has disappointed me most isn't just the heat—it's the complete lack of accountability. I made every effort to resolve this privately before leaving a public review, but after two complaints to Customer Services and no response from the cinema itself, I feel other customers should be aware of how this situation has been handled.
Unfortunately, what should have been a memorable birthday celebration for our twins became memorable for all the wrong reasons. I won't be returning to Vue Poole until they start taking responsibility for issues like this.