Pyjamas, onesies, dressing gowns banned at Taranaki cinema

Pyjamas, onesies, dressing gowns and muddy gumboots are banned at Hawera Cinema 2. Photo / File

South Taranaki locals have been told to up their dress code if they want to go to the movies, and to leave the pyjamas, onesies and dressing gowns at home.

A post on Hawera Cinema 2's Facebook page has fired up residents, although most seem to support manager Kirsty Bourke's request to ban sleepwear from the town's cinema.

Her post read: "Just a friendly reminder that we have a dress code at Hawera Cinemas. It's simple really: as long as you are appropriately dressed and are wearing clean footwear you are good to go.

"Please no pyjamas, onesies, dressing gowns or dirty gumboots - no matter how cute they are!."

Just a friendly reminder that we have a dress code at Hawera Cinemas, it's simple really, as long as you are...

Posted by Hawera Cinema 2 on Friday, 20 April 2018

In an interview with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB today, Bourke said the response so far had been overwhelmingly in support of her request.

"There's been a few negative comments on Facebook but they are definitely the minority. All day yesterday our customers were congratulating us guys saying 'well done you, it's about time businesses started taking a stance on people wearing PJs and onesies and dressing gowns in public'."

Bourke said staff had noticed an increase in the number of people turning up to the cinema in the past couple of months wearing onesies and pyjamas, so she decided to ban them before it got out of hand.

"We decided to adopt a dress code because we didn't want it to get really bad.

"When it first started we were a little bit, 'seriously we can't believe they're here in PJs, we have to stop this'. This is not the atmopshere or vibe that we want in our cinema."

Most were adults "who should know better".

"PJs and onesies and dressing gowns are private, stay-at-home attire, never to be seen in public."

The post has generated a flood of comments so far.

One woman commented, "Think all the shops in town should take your lead and share this post!! Well done," and another wrote "Get dressed people, aaahhhhhh I can't believe this even needs to be stated but well done for doing so".

However, a few weren't so keen on the idea. "Wow, didn't know you guys were the fashion police" and another said "I'm not a wearing PJs in public but I don't see how others wearing PJs out affects anyone else so I can't see the reason for this rule."