Last week, the UK’s first red extreme heat warning was announced. In wake of this, Downing Street declared a national emergency, and Showcase Cinemas declared themselves saviors of red-haired people.
Showcase Cinemas currently operates 816 Screens in multiple countries. They pride themselves on delivering “a superior entertainment experience” according to their company ethos online.
This week they announced they would offer one free ticket per red-haired person. Mark Barlow, the UK General Manager has acknowledged that people with red hair tend to be more susceptible to the harsh sun.
He said, “we’re offering redheads free entry to our cinema screens… they’ll be able to enjoy some of the amazing films on offer in the comfort of our air-conditioned cinema screens.”
According to data collected in 2017, less than 2% of the world’s population has ginger hair. Scotland currently has the highest percentage of natural redheads with Ireland, England and Wales close behind.
It’s estimated that around 6% of Scotland and 4% of England have red hair. That’s roughly 2,400,000 people in England alone who could have claimed a free ticket to see the fourth installment of Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, or the long-awaited Top Gun sequel.
The cinemas boast full A/C units, which let’s be honest is better than some offices, and a range of frozen drinks to choose from.
Others in the UK found alternative ways to deal with this Arabian heat. One user recommended adopting holiday mode at home:
How are the Red-heads holding up?
Some Twitter users took advantage of the heatwave for comedic purposes:
Meanwhile, over on TikTok content creators discovered they could create personalized air-con units; simply place bowls of ice and frozen water bottles in front of desk fans, and they have the benefit of cool air. An extremely nice alternative to the breathtaking lack of breeze around London and the rest of the UK.
It’s getting hot out there!
In all seriousness, during this heatwave, the UK has been blasted with incredibly high temperatures for the first time ever. On Monday temperatures shot up beyond 40 degrees for the first time on record in the UK. These extremes continued into Tuesday with some parts of London reaching 39 degrees.
National advice was to stay home where possible and TFL warned of reduced services across the country for the safety of staff and passengers. Additionally, speed restrictions on many lines were put in place after fears that the tracks might not be able to withstand the heat.
What are you watching?
If you’re a redhead who took advantage of Showcase Cinemas’ offer let us know which film took your fancy!
