It's been months since I last breezed into my local Cineworld, handbag stuffed full of supermarket-bought sweets and popcorn.
One pandemic, several home streamed movies and a Disney+ subscription later, and I've never felt more excited to return. I can almost smell the disinfected toilets and popcorn.
Did I ever imagine I would crave being squashed into a gigantic room full of hundreds of people? Hell no, especially now, but to be honest, I'm craving the mundanity of a Friday night cinema trip.
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I even miss tutting at the 6ft 5in man who just had to sit in the seat directly in front of me, frowning when someone orders salted popcorn or shaking my head at the overpriced snacks, safe in the knowledge that my £1 Propercorn and £3 Candy King are safely in tow.
Watching a film at home just isn't the same - after all, being able to pause and rewind means there are always distractions. In fact, going to the cinema is probably the one time you're forced to switch off from everything else.
And for me, there is no better cinema chain, than Cineworld.
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Obviously, you cannot pick your local cinema, but when I moved out of London, I have to admit I was overjoyed when I realised there was a Cineworld within walking distance.
Odeon seems to have the monopoly of many city centre cinemas, but I love the understated Cineworld. And although the independent chains are great, they feel much more of an occasional visit or a quirky date, rather than a last-minute "shall we go to the cinema?" vibe.
Perhaps it's the nostalgia factor, too. Growing up, Cineworld was it, and I have vivid memories of ringing them up every Saturday to find out what films were on and when.
And who could forget the good old days of 2 for 1 Orange Wednesdays, pretending to be 14 to nab a cheaper ticket (despite being about 18) and practically having a permanent blue tongue from so many Tango Ice Blasts.
It's been a tough year for Cineworld - and cinemas in general of course. In fact, the chain revealed a £2.2bn loss during the pandemic.
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Since 2019, revenues have plummeted by 80 per cent and admissions tumbled from 275 million to 54.4 million.
However, Cineworld is hopeful that it will make a recovery when it reopens. It's already opened its doors in the US, and Brits will once again be able to return from 17th May.
Chief executive Mooky Greidinger said: "For all of us across the world, this has been an incredibly challenging year.
"At Cineworld, I never imagined a time that we would see the closure of our entire cinema estate, nor that varying restrictions would remain in place for so long as we continue to navigate our way through this crisis."
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It's not clear how restrictions will work when Cineworld re-opens, but it's expected there will be limited numbers, with households spaced apart - so no more being squished in next to a stranger (result!)
Cineworld, you have been missed! I for one am counting down the days until I can dig out my Unlimited Card once again...
Featured Image Credit: ShutterstockTopics: Life News