Cinemas pull plug on adverts for poll

THREE major cinema chains are withdrawing independence referendum adverts from the Yes and No campaigns following complaints from customers.

Vue, Odeon and Cineworld have followed in the footsteps of Glasgow Film Theatre by pulling the ads ahead of the referendum campaign.

It came after The Herald revealed the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) had banned the adverts, saying that viewers wanted to “retreat from the real world” while watching a movie.

Yes Scotland said there has been “many complaints about the No campaign adverts”.

Better Together said the fact that they have now been pulled demonstrates that nationalists’ “can’t tolerate open and honest debate”.

A Vue spokesman said the firm was politically impartial.

He added: “As with the other leading cinema exhibitors, our sites have run adverts for both the Yes and No campaigns.

“We will continue to show these adverts up until the end of the planned campaign on June 5.

“Following feedback from our customers, we have taken the decision not to show any further campaign adverts.”

Odeon’s adverts will run until June 5. Cineworld will stop them from May 29.