Back to Basics - How have we categorised cinemas?

So first off, welcome to Cinema Listings.

You found us. Hopefully you've had a chance to read who we are and our mission on "Our Story" page.

However, what you won't know is how we have categorised your favourite cinema on the site. Whether it's categorised as a multiplex even thought it isn't an Odeon or what actually constitutes a luxury cinema in our book.

We have managed (just) to put all 1100 cinemas in the UK and Ireland into seven different cinema categories. We have allowed for individual cinemas to sit in multiple categories and be classified as more than just one type of cinema as we know this to be the case for 90% of cinemas in the UK.

Our cinema categories defined:

Multiplex - a cinema, whether part of a chain or not, that has five or more screens in one venue.

Luxury - a cinema that offers premier seating in the form of armchairs or sofas, has a bar onsite, has in-screen food offerings to enjoy or waiter service.

Community and Events - a cinema venue that is either owned or run by the community. Either by a charity, council, community group or trust. Typical cinemas classified in this category are multi-arts venues, film societies and local town halls.

Arthouse - a cinema that offers an arthouse film offering. It does not need to be their core film programme but it does need to screen Arthouse films regularly during the year.

Independent - a cinema that is not owned by a national chain, is a locally owned and managed venue and has a more varied film programme including independent and foreign films.

IMAX - a cinema that offers films screened in an IMAX format. Quite simply, IMAX means Image MAXimum. It is another method of filming with higher image resolutions and therefore shown on a specific IMAX screen that maximises the IMAX filming technology used.

Outdoor or Drive in - a venue that screens films in the open air, whether as a pop up, all year round or in a drive through format. It takes everything normally seen in an indoor venue but stages this outside on rooftops, in hot tubs, at stately homes. You get the gist.

The caveats with the categorisation are that whilst some of these can be very objective, others are more subjective. What we want to encourage is local, honest feedback from you about whether these cinemas are actually luxury venues or Arthouse cinemas, multiplexes or community. If you feel our categorisation of an individual cinema is wrong, rate and view that cinema so we can make it more useful for cinema lovers. To find out more information about how you can help make this site even more helpful for others, read our "Get involved" page.