By Beth Doherty
Twitter:@bethdmedia
Instagram: @bethdohertymedia

 

On Saturday, August 8, NVN’s assistant editor Beth tried out Salisbury’s new drive-in cinema: here is her review of the retro event.

After COVID-19 forced cinemas to close, a 70s classic, popular in the US, is making a comeback.

This weekend, I drove to Salisbury Southern Counties Auctioneers sales yard armed with pillows, blankets, and popcorn to experience the revival of drive-in cinemas.

As we arrived in our little mini, the moon shining through the sunroof, we were given a transmitter with a Bluetooth speaker, allowing us to set the volume as we wanted.

We pulled up alongside the other film-goers, reclined our chairs, and got comfortable.

Watching Bohemian Rhapsody at the drive-in cinema was an incredibly unique experience. Luckily the weather was fantastic and the stars made the perfect backdrop for Rami Malek’s award-winning performance of Freddie Mercury.

The sound and screen quality was impressive – even with the windows down, you couldn’t hear anything from other cars. One family parked their car backwards, turning the boot of their car into a cosy den for their children.

The drive-in cinema is a treat for anyone still shielding or families with vulnerable members, because the contact with others is minimal and you are protected in your own bubble for a comfortable, starry film experience.

Operations manager Constantin Wassilev told us his highlights of running the cinema.

“People arrive with pillows and blankets and make it feel like home. At the children’s movies, I have seen kids sitting in the drivers’ seats and the parents in the back, which is a really funny sight!

“Couples have even said they had a little cuddle making it a romantic date night,” he said.

The drive-in cinema was truly a magical experience, now they are back in business, I hope they are here to stay.