So groups MUST be from the same household. I suspect the cinemas won’t do anything to check, won’t question when a group looks unlikely, at best they will put a question on the booking form and abdicate that responsibility.
I suspect that they will then sit the next person or group 1m away. Really it should be 2m because the 1m+ law says 2m if at all possible and 2m is possible. The only reason they could give to not use 2m is that they wouldn’t make enough money with that separation, true but that is putting money first, health second.
Okay, so 1m is accepted under the financial viability argument. The law allows that but as 1m plus - which means 1m plus another form of protection - like face masks. So if the cinema wants to use 1m spacing then they have to enforce face masks - but from what I’m hearing they are not.
And after each screening, the seating area needs to be fully cleaned. Cinemas have said increased cleaning but are very vague mostly referring to toilets. Personally I think it is too impractical and too expensive to clean after every screening and they won’t do it. So separation isn’t even a thing because you will be sat in a seat that was occupied by an infected person less than an hour ago.
Personally, I think it is still too risky, especially just to watch old films.
Cheers,
Nigel