It’s the third instalment of the most loved and successful UK film franchise of recent years and this time we’ll follow our hero as he embarks on a quest to return a stolen family heirloom to Peru. His journey will be full of laughter, mishaps, friendships and a whole lot of marmalade sandwiches - but how much is that trip to the cinema going to set you back, when ticket and popcorn prices are constantly increasing?
Just as a wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in his hat for an emergency, there are ways to spend smart and save for the fun stuff as well as the essentials. This blog post will look at the best value way to see Paddington In Peru at the cinema, so you can work out the lowest possible amount you and your group will need to pay. From bagging lower priced tickets on certain days to deal stacking these with cashback, a cinema trip to see the cheeky bear on the big screen may be more affordable than you expect.
How much is the average cinema ticket price?
The average cinema ticket price in the UK in 2023 was £7.92, according to Statista.
However, it’s important to bear in mind that this is a national average and prices can vary considerably depending on where you live in the UK. For example, Londoners typically pay higher prices compared to those living in other parts of the country. In 2024, the average adult ticket price in London was £13.26, while in Swansea, it was only £6.07. This difference is usually down to higher operating costs in the capital city, such as rent and staffing.
How much does a trip to the cinema cost?
To fully workout the cost of a cinema trip, you’ll need to think about all the extras. From transport and parking to drinks and snacks, there’s a lot more to budget for than the ticket price.
Here’s a breakdown of some typical expenses:
1. Cinema Tickets
Ticket prices can differ significantly depending on the cinema chain, location, and time of day (weekends and evenings tend to be more expensive). Here are some approximate prices:
- Standard Adult Ticket: £10.00- £15.00
- Child Ticket: £6.00 - £10.00
- Senior/Student Ticket: £7.00 - £12.00
- Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 children or 1 adult + 3 children): £30.00 - £45.00
For a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids), the total cost for tickets would range from:
- £32.00 - £50.00
2. Snacks and Drinks
Cinema food and drinks are often pricey. Here's an estimate for common items:
- Popcorn (Large): £5.00 - £7.00
- Soft Drink (Large): £3.00 - £5.00
- Hot Dog/Nachos: £4.00 - £6.00
- Pick 'n' Mix: £3.00 - £5.00 (per 100g)
For a group of four:
- Large Popcorn + 2 Drinks Combo: £10.00 - £15.00
- Snacks for Kids: £10.00 - £20.00
Total for snacks: £20.00-£35.00 (this will obviously vary depending on how much you buy).
3. Transport to the Cinema
This depends on your mode of transport:
- Public Transport: £2.00- £5.00 per person (depending on distance and location)
- Driving (Fuel): £2.00-£5.00 (short trips, depending on distance)
- Parking: £3.00-£10.00 (depending on the area and parking availability)
For a family of four:
- Public Transport: £8.00-£20.00
- Driving + Parking: £8.00-£20.00
Total Estimate for a Family of Four:
- Tickets: £32.00-£50.00
- Snacks: £20.00-£35.00
- Transport: £8.00-£20.00
Total: £64.00-£105.00
For a trip that’s not been planned in advance to save money, expect to pay around £80 - £90 for a family of four, including tickets, snacks, and transport. The cost can increase significantly with premium experiences or posher snacks, like loaded nachos and hotdogs.
Five ways to save on the average cinema ticket price for Paddington
If a cinema trip to see Paddington is on your must-do list in 2024, there are plenty of ways to cut the cost. Here are five of the best:\
1. Take Advantage of Discount Days
Many cinemas offer discounted tickets on certain days of the week, often referred to as "Saver Days" or "Cheap Tuesdays." For example:
- Vue: Offers tickets for as little as £4.99 on Super Saver Days in some locations.
- Odeon: Some Odeon venues offer "Bargain Tuesdays" and "Super Saver" tickets.
2. Check your ‘perks’
Some mobile phone providers and bank accounts offer free cinema tickets as a loyalty perk. Lloyds Bank's Club gives you six free Odeon or Vue tickets a year (worth between £30 to £90 depending on the location). The account is fee-free as long as you meet its £2,000 a month minimum pay-in – there's a £3 a month fee if you don't.
If your local cinema is part of the Cineworld or Picturehouse chains and you're a Three mobile customer, you can get a code for a £3 adult cinema ticket via the Three + rewards app. It's for one 2D movie a week, any time on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Vodafone mobile customers can get two Odeon tickets for £8, or two Odeon Luxe tickets for £13, to see any 2D movie each week through the My Vodafone app. O2 mobile and Virgin Media broadband customers can get two tickets for £9, or four tickets for £18 (£4.50 each), at Vue cinemas to see any 2D movie each week via the Priority app.
3. Use supermarket loyalty schemes
If you've got Tesco Clubcard vouchers, you can use them towards Cineworld or Picturehouse tickets. You'll get twice the value you would if you used them in-store at Tesco, as every 50p in Clubcard vouchers becomes £1 when exchanged for a Cineworld or Picturehouse code.
4. Use Price Comparison websites
Compare the Market has a promotion where you can get 2 for 1 cinema tickets for 12 months if you buy any of the following insurance products after a price comparison search - car, van, bike, caravan, taxi, motorhome, home, pet, life, health, over-50s, income protection, landlord, business or travel insurance.
Tip: do a search for a single-trip travel insurance policy for the United Kingdom, and choose dates that cover just one night. You should see quotes for just over £1 – and this is enough to qualify for a year's Meerkat Movies and Meals, where you get 2 for 1 meals in selected restaurants.
5. Buy Cashback Vouchers at HyperJar
Download the free HyperJar from your preferred app store and sign up, if you don’t have an account already. Tap the Cashback tab in the app and you’ll see offers from both Odeon and Cineworld.
The cashback on Cineworld vouchers can be as much as 9%, meaning that if you buy a voucher for £40 to spend on your cinema trip, you’ll get £3.60 cashback...
Paddington snack ideas for your cinema trip
It’s the food and drink that significantly increase the overall spend on a cinema trip. It’s easy to end up paying more for the snacks than you do for the tickets.
If you have flour, butter, sugar and other baking essentials to hand, there are some recipes you can follow to make Paddington-themed treats in under 30 mins. As long as you follow the instructions, they’ll probably taste better than mass-produced store bought food, too.
Bear Paw cookies recipe
To make Paddington-inspired bear paw cookies, start by preparing a basic cookie dough. In a bowl, cream together 115g of softened butter and 100g of caster sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing until combined. In a separate bowl, sift together 200g of plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until you form a smooth dough. Once mixed, chill the dough for about 30 minutes.
Next, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls (about the size of a tablespoon) and slightly flatten each one onto the tray to create a paw shape. To make the bear paw look, gently press three to four almond slices into the top of each cookie to resemble claws. If you want a Paddington twist, dip each almond in some marmalade beforehand for a sweet citrus touch.
Marmalade flapjacks recipe
You'll need 200g of unsalted butter, 100g of light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of golden syrup, and 100g of Paddington’s beloved orange marmalade. For the dry ingredients, use 250g of rolled oats and a pinch of salt. The combination of marmalade and oats gives these flapjacks a zesty, chewy texture with a sweet citrusy glaze.
Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and lining a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup, and marmalade together, stirring until smooth. Once melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the rolled oats and salt, ensuring everything is evenly combined.
Press the oat mixture into the lined baking tin, spreading it evenly with a spoon. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the flapjacks are golden brown on top. Allow them to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
How to use HyperJar to plan your cinema trip
Once you have worked out what you are going to do to bring down the cost of your cinema trip and calculated how much the tickets and snacks will cost, you can use HyperJar to plan the outing. Create a jar for your cinema trip a few weeks before you go and start paying a few pounds into it whenever you can. If you’re going to the cinema with other adults, share the jar with them so that they can pay in too.
When the day for the cinema trip comes around, use the Cashback tab in the HyperJar app to buy vouchers to pay for your trip - check the terms and conditions of the Voucher, but you will typically be able to use it to pay for tickets as well as snacks if you’re buying any.
If you’re visiting a smaller independent cinema, which isn’t available on the HyperJar Cashback tab, you can still use your HyperJar prepaid debit card to buy your tickets. And if you long-press on the jar you can ‘Superlink’ it to your card, so the money will come directly from your cinema jar.
Enjoy the film!
If you want to save money on other life expenses, check out these blog posts:
How to save money on a family holiday
How to reduce the cost of cat or dog ownership
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