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Post by southstreet on Feb 6, 2023 12:38:23 GMT
Yeah, it's frustrating. It's easy to trick the system if there are three seats and you want two of them, but if there are only two seats and you just want the one, you're often buggered and it's bloody annoying. :-(
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Post by distantcousin on Feb 6, 2023 13:14:51 GMT
I actually rang the box office of my local theatre when the seating plan refused to let me leave a single seat. The guy on the end of the phone was equally adamant that a single seat could not remain. He refused to entertain the idea that someone might wish to go alone!
Why is society still so narrow minded about such a basic thing as this?!
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Post by fiyero on Feb 6, 2023 14:01:56 GMT
The thing is the problem isn't buying a single seat. it is leaving a single seat. They are harder to sell and has been mentioned some companies then have to discount them to sell them.
What would be nice is if the system could be clever enough to let you leave a single seat if there is no reasonable alternative - as mentioned I wouldn't want a seat under the overhang 20 rows further back just to please the theatre but it is not unreasonable to sit a little further away if it avoids the problem. I can't ever see the systems getting that right though!
I've had a system not let me book a seat as it would leave an odd seat in another block the other side of the theatre (due to the way the seats were numbered 1,2,3,4 one side 5,6,7,8 the other). That seat was already odd really!
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Post by christya on Feb 6, 2023 15:26:29 GMT
The problem I have with the 'reasonable alternative' thing is that I don't want an 'alternative', I want the best seat available. I'm 5'2" - I don't want to sit 'further back'. Why should my choice of seats be limited because I'm going alone? The seat is there, just let me buy it!
I've even arrived at the theatre once or twice to find them trying to move me on the night for the convenience of someone else. I don't mind if it's an actual equivalent - for example I was once asked to move from my aisle seat on one side of the theatre, to the same aisle seat at the other end of the row - but no, I won't move further back or into a worse seat. It's the same as a plane, really - an upgrade, or equivalent, or I stay put.
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Post by joni89 on Feb 6, 2023 17:12:02 GMT
This is very annoying! Sometimes if you phone rather than try to book online, they can over-ride this on the system.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 7, 2023 12:03:53 GMT
Threads merged.
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Post by alessia on Feb 7, 2023 14:38:20 GMT
The problem I have with the 'reasonable alternative' thing is that I don't want an 'alternative', I want the best seat available. I'm 5'2" - I don't want to sit 'further back'. Why should my choice of seats be limited because I'm going alone? The seat is there, just let me buy it! I've even arrived at the theatre once or twice to find them trying to move me on the night for the convenience of someone else. I don't mind if it's an actual equivalent - for example I was once asked to move from my aisle seat on one side of the theatre, to the same aisle seat at the other end of the row - but no, I won't move further back or into a worse seat. It's the same as a plane, really - an upgrade, or equivalent, or I stay put. I couldn't agree more- so far I never had an issue with booking single seats, for things I really wanted to see. I came across this once but I didn't care enough for the show to make an effort and find another solution so I gave up (their loss lol). Thankfully I've never been asked to move, and I would definitely say no. |
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Post by Deal J on Feb 8, 2023 10:48:53 GMT
There's a rule that can't be broken /
and the pain goes on and on /
Empty chairs that aren't a couple /
Can't remain /
Singles begonnnnnnnnnnne
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Post by Rozzi Rainbow on Feb 13, 2023 14:23:35 GMT
This reminds me of my experience at York a few years ago - I called into the box office a couple of hours before the show started, and they wouldn't sell me one of a pair of seats. They tried to make me take one of a group of three - but they were more expensive than the seat I wanted. I said I shouldn't have to pay more just because I was on my own, and they reluctantly sold me one of the cheaper pair. When I took my seat for the show, I was delighted to see the other seat had also sold - proving that the excuse "single seats don't sell" is complete codswallop as we all know!
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Post by lookingatthestars on Nov 24, 2023 20:25:22 GMT
I know this has been discussed before, but I cannot find the thread with the info.
How does one get around booking one single seat from 2 together when the system will not allow an empty seat to be left behind?
Many thanks for any help.
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154 posts
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Post by evilmat360 on Nov 24, 2023 22:25:43 GMT
Guessing you meant this thread, theatreboard.co.uk/thread/1647/theatres-refusing-sell-single-seatsNormally found the best way to either be to hold the ticket on another device or having to call the box office and hoping they'll either block it out to allow you to book it online or do it over the phone. But holding it on another device very much depends on the systems they're using, as some will still recognise that the seats next to the single seat you want haven't been sold. |
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Post by lookingatthestars on Nov 24, 2023 22:46:52 GMT
Thank you for the info.
Apologies for not finding that thread, thanks for linking it.
I guess admin can delete this
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 24, 2023 23:56:23 GMT
Merged.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Nov 25, 2023 0:42:00 GMT
I know this has been discussed before, but I cannot find the thread with the info. How does one get around booking one single seat from 2 together when the system will not allow an empty seat to be left behind? Many thanks for any help. I've never tried contacting the theatre but I have had success reserving one of the two seats from a third party seller - usually at a higher than the box office price - and then buying the other seat at the standard price. I always use google incognito on my PC rather than just another window. However the last time I tried the trick it didn't work. ATG and LW Theatres do often allow a one from two purchase - and sometimes discount remaining single seats on or before the day. |
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Post by marob on Nov 25, 2023 1:00:52 GMT
Had this recently with Delfont MacKintosh. When I booked Old Friends it wouldn’t let me leave a single seat online, but a popup message gave the box office phone number. The guy I spoke to asked which seat I wanted, took the other one off sale, and said to book it as usual on the website.
On the phone for all of a minute and booked with no problem. Can’t help asking why? If they have no issue selling single seats then why not just sell them online?
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Post by nicolaa on Nov 27, 2023 14:20:40 GMT
Taken to looking for groups of 4 seats and then buying the one on the end.
This leaves them with 3 - and means a group of 2 can not buy these seat but another single can.
Its the small victories that count.
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Post by nick on Nov 27, 2023 14:48:56 GMT
Taken to looking for groups of 4 seats and then buying the one on the end. This leaves them with 3 - and means a group of 2 can not buy these seat but another single can. Its the small victories that count. I like this. And you can buy two ticket. Reserve a single ticket using a different browser. Then you can buy the two that are left. Then abandon the single ticket. At least I’ve been told it works. |
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Post by Jan on Nov 28, 2023 7:53:38 GMT
Had this recently with Delfont MacKintosh. When I booked Old Friends it wouldn’t let me leave a single seat online, but a popup message gave the box office phone number. The guy I spoke to asked which seat I wanted, took the other one off sale, and said to book it as usual on the website. On the phone for all of a minute and booked with no problem. Can’t help asking why? If they have no issue selling single seats then why not just sell them online? An individual brave box office employee freelancing in defiance of corporate policy. The Delfont MacKintosh enforcers have probably already been round to talk to them with a copy of this thread ..... Phoning the box office used to also be a way of avoiding the on-line queueing system when public booking opened for popular plays, particularly at the Almeida. However I see now this loophole is being closed at the Donmar and they open phone booking several hours after on-line booking for their new seasons. |
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Post by ceebee on Nov 28, 2023 7:57:30 GMT
Taken to looking for groups of 4 seats and then buying the one on the end. This leaves them with 3 - and means a group of 2 can not buy these seat but another single can. Its the small victories that count. I like this. And you can buy two ticket. Reserve a single ticket using a different browser. Then you can buy the two that are left. Then abandon the single ticket. At least I’ve been told it works. Yes, it definitely works - I've done it a few times. I actually think the little rule / algorithm for managing single seats is pretty good. If you look at shows that don't apply such rules, they often have single seats peppered all over the auditorium. |
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Post by mkb on Nov 30, 2023 13:14:45 GMT
This is not quite the same issue, but I see that the Hampstead Theatre is now designating certains blocks of seats as Student/Under30s only. They always limited the seats that offered a concession rate, but now you can no longer select these seats at full price. This means that if you have one person in your party who qualifies for the concession rate, the rest of the party cannot sit next to them. Quite bizarre.
UPDATE: It might just be a configuration glitch, because on other shows/dates, the FULL PRICE option *is* appearing against seats with concession rates enabled.
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Post by fiyero on Nov 30, 2023 15:07:06 GMT
I was pleasantly surprised that when an offer came up on TodayTix for Unbelievable I was able to take just one of the pair in the front row (down from £45 to £15). I saw later in the day the other had gone too!
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Post by christya on Jan 12, 2024 10:15:21 GMT
I've noticed something recently regarding single seats, not sure if it's new or if I just haven't spotted it before. Instead of showing all seats and refusing to sell single seats, some booking sites will outright change the seating plan to hide the seats they don't want you to have. So if you select that you want two seats, then change it to one, a lot of the seats on sale will just disappear.
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Post by steve10086 on Jan 12, 2024 15:48:01 GMT
I've noticed something recently regarding single seats, not sure if it's new or if I just haven't spotted it before. Instead of showing all seats and refusing to sell single seats, some booking sites will outright change the seating plan to hide the seats they don't want you to have. So if you select that you want two seats, then change it to one, a lot of the seats on sale will just disappear. Good to know, thanks 👍 |
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