UK cinemas will be open for free on Monday but there will only be one showing

While a number of cinemas across the UK will be closing on Monday 19 September for the Queen's state funeral, others have decided to stay open - but with just one screening.

Some major cinema chains - for example, Cineworld, Odeon and Showcase - will be closing on Monday (which has also been confirmed as a bank holiday).

However, others - such as Curzon and Arc - have opted to stay open and screen the funeral for free. Vue, meanwhile, will also be screening the day's events, but at a limited number of its cinemas.

Andreas von Einsiedel/Alamy Stock Photo

Vue said: "Seats will be free of charge and we will close our retail stands, but will offer complimentary bottled water during the broadcast.

"We will also be screening the London Procession in the majority of our UK venues on Wednesday, 14 September. On this day all other screens will be open showing film content as normal."

Arc explained that although it will be screening the state funeral for free, pre-booking is essential to guarantee a seat.

"We have to decided to screen Her Majesty The Queen’s State Funeral on Bank Holiday Monday 19th September at 11am," they wrote on social media.

"This is a free event but pre-booking your seat is essential. There will be no other shows taking place while the funeral is broadcast."

Alistair Laming/Alamy Stock Photo

Phil Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association, said: "While we have shared with our members official guidance which suggests that there is no requirement to close, clearly all UK cinema operators are sensitive to the public mood and responding accordingly at what is a very sad time for many across the country."

Official guidance explained that while organisations may choose to close on the day of the Queen's funeral, there is no obligation to.

Most supermarket chains and retail stores have opted to close on Monday, while some supermarkets and petrol stations are remaining closed until 5pm, before opening back up for the evening.

Agencja Fotograficzna Caro/Alamy Stock Photo

Since the bank holiday was announced, many have been wondering if they will automatically be entitled to a day off. And, according to government guidelines, this will be at the discretion of individual businesses.

The UK government stated: “This is a matter for discussion between individuals and their employer. There is no statutory entitlement to time off for bank holidays, but employers may include bank holidays as part of a worker’s leave entitlement.

“The government cannot interfere in existing contractual arrangements between employers and workers. However, we would expect that many workers will be able to take the day off on the bank holiday."