Ottawa Citizen columnist Ken Gray doesn't think so:

I don’t mind people drinking in moderation at a hockey or football game. It makes usually dull Ottawa crowds a bit animated.

However the last place I want to be is in a movie theatre with an animated crowd. Already cellphones disturb patrons watching the flick while chatterboxes have to tell their friends all sorts of inane comments during the movie. Put a couple of beers in those same patrons and you’d best wait for the movie to be released on video rather than hang out in a noisy, beer-soaked theatre.

Gray's blog post at The Bulldog comes after news broke that Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group wants to see a fully-licensed cinema as part of a redeveloped Lansdowne Park. As the Ottawa Sun reports, the proposed Empire Theatres location would be the only movie house in Ottawa that sells alcohol.

While it's not clear how a licensed Empire Theatres location would operate, competing chain Cineplex Odeon offers some idea of what could be in store for Ottawa. That chain operates a number of "licensed lounges" at their cinemas in Quebec and southern Ontario. From the Sun story:

The locations in London, Oakville and Toronto consist of a dedicated auditorium — referred to as VIP cinemas. They are 19 plus, offer reserved seating with large leather seats and have a serving staff to take orders — ranging from the traditional movie popcorn to an ice cold beer.

Or as Cineplex Odeon says in this press release about a new Markham, Ont. cinema, each lounge "features all stadium seating with expanded leg room, luxurious high back leather seats, side tables and reserved seating." As well as, y'know, booze.

The Sun also speaks to a Cineplex spokesperson who says their licensed auditoriums sell out faster than the non-licensed one. In any case, Cineplex Odeon seems to offer moviegoers a choice: you can watch a film in the presence of fellow drinkers, or hang out with the abstainers in a separate cinema. There doesn't seem to be a lot of overlap, which is what Gray seems most concerned about.

Gray adds that he's not against the existence of "beer-house theatres" in principle. He'd just prefer one doesn't go in at Lansdowne. What do you think, Ottawa? Should the capital have a fully-licensed movie theatre? And if so, should that license be solely applied to so-called "VIP auditoriums"? Leave us a comment.

Photo by sonyaseattle on Flickr