Get your popcorn ready — SLO County movie theaters can reopen
After months of sitting on their couches watching Netflix and avoiding public spaces, San Luis Obispo County residents will once again be able to go to the movies.
San Luis Obispo County public health officer Penny Borenstein announced Friday that local movie theaters have been given the go ahead to reopen, after months-long coronavirus closures.
They’ll be opening with some changes, however, per the state’s reopening recommendations.
Occupancy in theaters must be 25% of normal, or a maximum of 100 people — whichever is lower.
To help with this, seats could be closed or reconfigured to maintain social distancing. Some seats could be covered with disposable or washable seat covers that could be replaced between uses.
A movie theater worker will also likely guide you to your seat, to ensure that everyone is staying socially distant. But don’t worry — you will not be required to sit distant from other members of your household.
The state’s guidance also says face coverings should be worn by patrons, at least when entering or exiting the theater and when coming in contact with employees.
A reservation system could be utilized to help stagger the number of people arriving or leaving from the theater at any one time.
It is unclear exactly which theaters will be open and when, though it is likely it will take some time for the theaters to prepare and get back up and running.
It’s not clear when local theaters including the Bay Theatre in Morro Bay, Fair Oaks Theatre in Arroyo Grande or Downtown Centre Cinemas and the Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo will reopen. Regal Cinemas, which operates a theater in Arroyo Grande, and Galaxy Theatres, which operates an Atascadero theater, have also not said when their locations will open their doors once more.
Park Cinemas in Paso Robles is planning to open in July, according to a statement on its website.
Meanwhile, Sunset Drive-In in San Luis Obispo has been reopened for several weeks, after drive-through theaters were given special permission to reopen ahead of their seated theater counterparts.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Get your popcorn ready — SLO County movie theaters can reopen."
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