Edinburgh mum hits out at Lothian Road Odeon cinema after 16-year-old disabled son 'turned away'

A furious mum has told bosses of an Edinburgh cinema to ‘hang their heads in shame’ after her disabled son was turned away.

Heather Stitt took her son Jason, 16, to an evening screening at the Lothian Road Odeon after booking tickets online. But when they arrived they couldn’t get in the door because the access button wasn't working.

After struggling to get inside they were advised that the lift was broken due to heavy rainfall causing electrical problems. Staff said it had ‘been like that for a while’. One customer review on Google from a few weeks ago said the lift was broken then.

The 44-year-old told the Evening News: "We pushed the door open button at the entrance but it didn’t work. Staff were helpful but I felt sorry for them, they shouldn't be put in that position. It’s not their fault. They told us the lift was not working because it is prone to short circuits in heavy rainfall. But what if people were already in there and got trapped. This is in breach of the equality act. They need to urgently repair the lift. It wasn't clear when I booked the tickets. It’s unacceptable. Staff said the lift and door button at the entrance had been like that for a while. It’s clear that it’s a known issue. People have already complained about this, there are negative reviews about it.”

Ms Stitt said they had to leave as her son couldn’t walk downstairs to access any of the screens. She contacted Odeon to complain but said she has had no response since November 26.

She added: “It was horrendous. My son was really looking forward to seeing a film and it takes a lot of effort for us to get out the house and travel. He was heartbroken as it scuppered his evening. He was so upset that he had seizures the next day. Hearing that he couldn’t see any films there that evening and just had to leave was crushing for him.”

Jason, 16, has a condition known as functional neurological disorder (FND). He became very ill last year and Ms Stitt gave up work as a carer to look after her son. The mum-of-one added: “This is our nearest cinema but we will be looking at others now even if it means travelling further. I won’t be going back to that one. It’s just not right. Odeon is a big chain. You can’t just leave a lift broken. They surely must have funds to repair it and the access button at the front door. How are they allowed to operate like that? I was so shocked. This is the first time we have been turned away from a cinema. To me there is no reasonable excuse. I’d hate to think of anyone trying to get in without a carer with them. It’s as if they don't care about customers with mobility issues. The managers should hang their head in shame.”

A spokesperson for Odeon said: “We are aware of an accessibility issue at ODEON Edinburgh Lothian Rd. The issue has been resolved and the cinema is operating as usual. We sincerely apologise to our guests for the inconvenience caused.”