Coming soon to theater: a curfew

Columbia Grande bans late movies for children under 16 without adult

Children younger than 16 soon won’t be going to the late-night movies by themselves at one Columbia theater. Starting Feb. 8, those in that age group who are not accompanied by an adult — age 21 or older — will not be admitted to shows that start at 9:30 p.m. or later at the Columbiana Grande 14 theater in Harbison. Columbiana Grande’s owner, Charlotte-based Consolidated Theatres, said the new policy is not the result of any problems at the theater but is a safety measure. “It’s something we do to be proactive, to provide a safe atmosphere for our young people ... and our older customers,” said Dale Coleman, Consolidated’s vice president of operations. Consolidated Theatres began imposing 9:30 p.m. curfews at its North Carolina locations two years ago, Coleman said. And its theaters in the Upstate also have teen curfews in place. The policy is done on a case-by-case basis, Coleman said. At Consolidated’s only other local theater, Pastime Pavilion Cinemas 8 in Lexington, there is no curfew.  Staff at the Pastime Pavilion said the policy was not expanded to that theater because most of its teen and young adult customers attend shows that are at 7 p.m. or earlier. Consolidated Theatres said the curfew is to help monitor theater traffic. “We want them to come and enjoy themselves, and come for the purpose of watching movies,” Coleman said. Columbia resident Franklin Semones, 23, said he agrees with the company’s plan to curb late-night teen traffic. “Some kids try to sneak into R-rated movies at night. This is probably a good thing,” said Semones, who added that he works at a local theater — one not owned by Consolidated Theatres. Other Columbia-area movie theaters — such as Regal Entertainment cinemas at the Village at Sandhill and Midtown at Forest Acres shopping centers — do not have teen curfew policies. However, Regal Entertainment’s management said it does abide by movie-rating standards for viewers.

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