A CINEMA has had a change of heart after a mum accused them of "age discrimination" when they wouldn't allow her baby in.
Gil Bailey was in Nottingham with her two children – Byron, seven, and Scarlett, five months – during a visit to their grandparents in West Bridgford.
After spending a day shopping in the city she took the children to the Broadway Cinema, in Hockley, for a screening of U-certificate film My Neighbour Totoro – but they were refused entry to the auditorium.
Mrs Bailey said: "I was stunned to be told it was their policy to not allow babies under one-year-old in to the cinema except for baby screening sessions.
"My son was devastated and it spoilt our day."
Mrs Bailey, a procurement and contracts manager, said: "In terms of behaviour there is very little difference between a baby under one and a toddler.
"In, fact most parents would say that a toddler's behaviour is harder to manage in quieter settings. Not allowing babies under the age of one into your cinemas for a U-certificate movie is quite simply age discrimination."
The cinema, in Broad Street, said it had received complaints about noise made by young children and had put on special screenings every other Tuesday for parents with babies.
But they have also said that since this incident they will now let babies in to all family-oriented screenings in the mornings and the afternoon.
Usual certification rules still apply.
Broadway operations manager David Horton said the cinema wanted to be as inclusive as possible.
He said: "We're trying to direct people to come and experience cinema with us, especially during holiday times.
"Having a toddler and a baby could be quite common. We realised that and changed."
The cinema apologised in a statement, which said: "It is never our intention to upset or frustrate any of our valued customers, young or old.
"Please be assured that we never intentionally wish for any of our customers to leave Broadway less than satisfied."
Mrs Bailey has since been informed and was delighted to hear the news.
She said: "That's more like it! We're happy now and will go and test it on our next visit to Nottingham."
The only person who is still disappointed is seven-year-old Byron.
He said: "We're only going back if they're showing the same movie we missed."
