You know how a movie theater will sometimes use these ribbons/ropes/chains/beaded-strings on waist-high poles to define a place to form a neat line, divide a larger area, block an entrance, etc.?
For the latter, I think I've heard “velvet rope” used.
But I most commonly see things that are 3 inch wide webbing in a reel that sits on the top of the pole, and this is pulled out to the needed length and the end secured to another such post using a dovetail slot. There are slots every 90° or every 45° (leaving off the one that's the dispenser).
The old fashion kind are simply large linked chains (yellow plastic, typically) that can have any link hooked to a hook on a post, with the extra length hanging free.
If it makes a difference, I specifically want to refer to the modular adjustable kind, as opposed to a short fixed length like the “velvet rope”.
The podium held four dignitaries, and (one of those queue-control rope things like you see in theaters) was set parallel to it, herding the guests past them in single-file.
Best Answer
In the trade (yes, the "line-&-queue-control" trade), this item is officially called a "retractable-belt barrier", but really, the tradename Tensabarrier is used, which I imagine frustrates their competitors at Queueway and especially Retracta-Belt.