Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Pathé Sint-Niklaas will replace all cinema seats with reclining “relax seats” by year-end, offering more comfort, space, and premium movie-going experience.
Today, the first of eight theaters was converted, and tomorrow, the second will be added. The plan is to have fewer, more comfortable seats in each theater in order to draw in more patrons.
Attendance at Flemish movie theaters has yet to rebound from the coronavirus outbreak. Less than 7 million people visited the Flemish Audiovisual Fund in 2023, compared to almost 10 million in 2010.
As a result, movie theaters are searching for strategies to get patrons back. Additionally, the Pathé Group is introducing a concept called “relax seats” in its Sint-Niklaas theater in Belgium, which it has already tested in the Netherlands. People get much greater comfort for the same money as a standard seat.
The capacity will be nearly cut in half because the seats also occupy a lot more room. In the past, 2,300 people could fit in the eight Pathé Sint-Niklaas theaters using the regular seats. That capacity will decrease to 1,300 after all of them have been replaced with recliners by the end of the year.
The idea has previously undergone successful testing in the Netherlands.
Jonas Van Ransbeeck, Director of Operations at Pathé Sint-Niklaas:
“Listening to customer comments, it’s clear they’re bothered by the customers sitting in front of them and the lack of legroom. We’ve already rolled out this concept in the Netherlands, and we’re seeing an increase in customer satisfaction and visitor numbers.”
What are the key features of the new “relax seats”?
The seat may be tilted back for maximum relaxation with a single push button.
For a complete lounger feel, each seat has an extensible footrest. Drinks and snacks are positioned conveniently, improving the whole experience.
The first of eight movie theaters has already been transformed and made accessible to the general public.
The new seats will be installed in the second hall tomorrow.
By the end of the year, the entire theater will have switched to relaxing chairs, providing a consistently improved experience in every space.
By reducing the number of seats in each area, the movie theater is compromising on both quantity and quality. The goal of the strategy is to attract guests who appreciate first-rate comfort and are looking for a unique watching experience.
