DISABILITY advocates have criticised Reading Cinemas at the Dandenong Palm Plaza over its lift breaking down again for the third time in a year.

Their concerns were raised after Dandenong resident Sharon Harris, who uses a wheelchair, discovered the lift was not working again in the first week of January. She had been trying to take her grandchild to the cinemas.

"I couldn't afford to get a taxi and go to one of the other theatres with my grandkid. I couldn't afford it, so we didn't go," she said.

"It's just not good enough. Every time there's school holidays, this lift seems to be broken. They should have the lift serviced more regularly if it keeps breaking down."

Disability Resources Centre chairman Frank Hall-Bentick said organisations were legally obliged to keep their services in such a state that they did not discriminate against people with disabilities.

"Organisations need to be proactive and keep things well-maintained and in working order. What happens if it's not is that people who should be using it, say on crutches or even in wheelchairs, may try to get up by escalators or stairs, which then becomes an occupational health and safety issue."

The Weekly contacted Reading Entertainment Australia to determine how long it would take for the lift to be fixed and how often it was serviced, and was told staff had been told not to speak to media. However, a company source said last Friday the lift was expected to be operational within 24 hours.

Palm Plaza manager Annabelle Green said the cinema lift was the responsibility of the tenant, Reading Entertainment Australia, and was undergoing repairs. "We continue to work closely with Reading Cinemas on this and believe the lift will be operational again shortly," she said.