Customer charter

We know that you love film as much as we do and cinema is a shared experience for everyone to enjoy. Entry to BFI Southbank is free and everyone is welcome, whether you’re watching a film or not.

• We are committed to providing the very best customer experience possible by conducting ourselves in a helpful, courteous and friendly way.
• We are an inclusive venue and welcome all customers. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your visit more comfortable.
• We understand that visiting a venue for the first time can be stressful for some customers, especially if you are unsure of what to expect or have specific access requirements. We hope that you will find the information on our accessibility page useful in preparing for your visit.
• We are aware our customers may experience cinema and BFI Southbank in different ways and that some disabilities are invisible so we are working to ensure that everyone feels welcome.
• We continually review our service standards, listen to our customers, make improvements where necessary and welcome feedback.
• We will always do our best to ensure that this is a safe and comfortable environment for all of our customers. To assist us we would ask that you provide us with feedback and report any nuisance or suspicious behaviour.

If you’d like to tell us about your experience at the BFI, please talk to a member of staff, email us at customerfeedback@bfi.org.uk or write to us at:

Box office
BFI Southbank
Belvedere Road
London SE1 8XT

Venue rules

Certification

Certificates are supplied for UK certificated films. Where there is no certificate, films are for over 16s unless other age guidance is provided.

We welcome young audiences to screenings certificated U, PG, 12A and 15.

Dress code

We want our visitors to enjoy themselves and we often host events where dressing up is encouraged. We would ask anyone dressing up to be mindful of their choices and whether any offence could be caused.

• Outfits which threaten others’ rights to a safe space should not be worn.
• Behaviours that seek to offend a particular race, religion or culture, or costumes which centre around historical events that degrade someone’s ancestry in a derogatory way will not be tolerated.
• Please also be mindful if you are attending a screening in fancy dress, your costume should not restrict other people’s view or comfort.
• Items deemed dangerous such as replica weapons will not be allowed.

Families

Families with children are welcome throughout the year and breastfeeding is allowed anywhere on site.

Our public spaces are fully accessible to pushchairs and we will happily find you somewhere to store it, just ask at the ticket desk.

We have free public toilets and baby changing facilities, as well as family-friendly food and beverages in our two restaurants and our ‘Grab & Go’.

Children under 12, must be accompanied by an adult.

Formats

We’re proud to be screening on film where possible, listed as 16mm, 35mm or 70mm. Other formats are listed ‘Digital’ 2K DCP (or 4K if stated), HDcam, SR, HDcam ‘Video’ Digibeta, BetaSP, Blu-ray.

Find details of our 35mm and 70mm screenings.

House rules

• Screenings will start at the advertised times.
• Screenings will start at their advertised times and latecomers will not be admitted.
• Photography, audio and film recording are not permitted in the venue without prior permission.
• From time to time events are filmed and/or audio recorded. By entering the auditorium you are consenting to such filming and/or audio recording and its subsequent use by the BFI and trusted third parties. Please contact the Front of House manager if you have any concerns.
• For the safety of our staff and visitors, bag searches may be carried out.
• Standing is not allowed in any of the cinemas.
• You are welcome to take food and drink purchased at BFI Southbank into the cinemas with you.
• Please be considerate of your fellow patrons and acknowledge that we are an inclusive venue and some customers may experience cinema differently from you.
• Please do not eat or drink in the BFI Reuben Library or Mediatheque.
• The BFI reserves the right to change the programme without prior notice.
• All staff and public are entitled to expect that they will be treated with dignity and respect.
• The BFI reserves the right to refuse admission or remove any person acting in an unacceptable manner.

Security and safety

From time to time, for the safety of all visitors, we may ask to search your bags on arrival. If you decline, you may be refused entry.

Searches look for restricted items and other objects that may be considered a risk to the public.

Any restricted items may be removed at the bag-searching point, recorded and stored and returned to the customer on leaving. If we discover anything illegal, it will be confiscated and the police informed.

Please keep your personal belongings with you at all times. Items left unattended may be removed by Security and treated as lost property, or disposed of.

Please refrain from bringing large bags into the building as these will not be permitted into the cinemas.

Please do not bring bicycles in to the building. Cycle racks are provided in the public spaces around the National Theatre and Southbank Centre.

Personal items are brought onto BFI premises at the individuals own risk.

Your visit

In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for everyone, please do not:

• Smoke anywhere in the building (including e-cigarettes and vaping).
• Bring in or consume alcohol which has not been purchased from the BFI; this includes our outdoor spaces.
• Bring in or consume food and drinks in our Bars and Restaurant, which have not been purchased from the BFI. Seating is available in the public spaces.
• Make excessive noise that may disturb others.
• Fundraise, demonstrate, display or distribute campaigning material without prior agreement.
• Run or ride bicycles, scooters or any other wheeled item (except mobility aids).
• Sleep in our public spaces.
• Use furniture for anything other than its intended use, move furniture or take furniture to another location, to ensure your safety and its accessibility to everyone.
• Sit on the floor or leave your belongings on the floor or monopolise large areas that may intrude on the space available to others.
• Carry out organised dance or physical exercise on our indoor spaces.
• Leave rubbish around the building. We provide recycling bins an all areas.
• Use extension leads to recharge your devices, leave items to charge unattended or unplug any BFI electrical equipment.

If our staff think you may be causing unreasonable disturbance to other visitors, if you are endangering yourself, others or property, they will ask you to stop for the safety and comfort of everyone. Our staff and security have the authority to escort customers from the premises if necessary.

Please report anyone acting suspicious or anything suspicious to a member of staff.