We had our first trip to The Plaza Cinema in Dorchester today and we all loved every part of our experience.

The cinema has been delighting audiences since 1933 when it first opened as a single screen cinema.  Now, there are 4 screens with a blend of modern amenities and timeless Art Deco charm.

The welcoming grand entrance and staff make a great first impression and as I’d pre-booked online I was able to pick my seats and collect my tickets on arrival.  I love a paper ticket and keep every single one, be it cinema or theatre, and when I’m home I add a note on it to say who we went with.

There’s plenty of snack options to purchase in the foyer and I thought The kids Combo was really great value with popcorn, drink (water/fruitshoot/fizzy) and sweets all for £4.50.  Or you could upgrade for 50p and turn the drink into a slushie.

We were in Screen 1 to see Lola & Stitch and I couldn’t have been happier.  The roof lighting is stunning and this stayed on for the trailers and then switched off for the film.  The seating was really comfy, acoustics were great and the leg room was so spacious.  It was possibly one of the only few times I’ve been to the cinema and not had little legs kicking my back the whole time haha.

Whilst we had a brilliant cinema experience, I think the best bit of all was the ticket price which is considerably lower than the multiplex chains.  3 tickets and car parking for the day cost me just over £20 which I thought was excellent.

Good to know:

• Booster seats are available for children if needed.

• Autism and Sensory Friendly Screenings of popular family films are shown on a regular basis.  These are presented without adverts or trailers, with lower volume and the lights are left on low.

• Subtitled Screenings are held regularly with clearly display dialogue and essential sound cues on screen.

• Screen sizes differ with 2 of the screens having disabled access and spaces.  As the front of the building is stepped, disabled access to the foyer is via the side door on the left hand side of the building.

• Baby changing facilities can be found in one of the downstairs toilets.

• The cinema can easily be reached by train or bus.  If driving, you’ll find numerous car parks nearby.

For more information on upcoming films and tickets, please visit The Plaza Dorchester.

The Lulworth Motor Show is an annual charity event which is free to attend and packed with tons of things to see and do.  We are not new to visiting the beautiful Lulworth Castle Estate but this event was a first for me and the sun shone for us all day.

The boys couldn’t wait to look at all the cars and my goodness was there a loads to look at!  We went up and down the lanes looking at classic cars, supercars, motorbikes, and there was even a bus and fire engine.

If you’re visiting and you’re hungry then you’ll be spoilt for choice as I spotted numerous food vans catering for every taste.  We’d packed a picnic but decided to buy some chips to go with our sandwiches and sat under a tree listing to some live music close by.

After lunch we went up to the top part of the field to have a look at the inflatables and stalls.  My daughter had good fun on the trampolines, we then watched Jamie Jigsaw perform a circus skills workshop and we bought a few pocket money toys.  We also spotted Biscuits by Sarah B and here we decorated some delicious biscuits which were devoured in about 60 seconds after leaving!

The kids had lots of energy to burn so we thought it was a good time to head over to the park nearby for a play and here you can feed some very friendly Peacocks if they haven’t wandered off.

After a good play we met up with some friends for a walk and looked around the back of the Castle and inside The Chapel of St Mary which was designed to look like a classical garden building.  The beautiful domed ceiling, lit through clear windows rather than stained glass, creates a tranquil atmosphere.

We had such a brilliant day and we’ll most definitely attend again.  The event is in aid of the Dorset Blind Association, raising essential funds to help people living with sight loss lead full, independent lives.  Please support them with a donation if you can as the event is well worth it.