All-Round Impressive including its Accessibility
5
5
Date of visit: March 2023
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Excellent
The Armourers' Hall is the home of The Armourers & Brasiers' Company. One of the Livery Companies in the City of London. Although housed in a historic building dating from the nineteenth century, it has step free access. It is not usually open to the public except for pre-booked group tours and it's rooms are available for hire for receptions, dinners, etc.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
The Hall has step free access. At the front door, see photo, there are 2 steps to the door and then 3 steps when you get inside, but there is a portable ramp available. From this level you climb the flight of stairs to the 1st floor or you can take a platform lift. The accessible and other toilets are also located there. The platform lift takes you to the 1st floor. Once on the 1st floor it is step free to visit the rooms open to the public, Livery Hall, Golden Drawing Room, Court Room and Library. All rooms have free standing chairs, so there are plenty of opportunities to sit if you have a tour. The Livery Hall and Golden Drawing Room are very large and spacious, think grand stately home. While the Court Room and Library are much smaller. In the Golden Drawing Room there are glass cabinets containing pieces of armour, which are displayed at different heights, there is a further collection of armour around the walls of the Livery Hall.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
The nearest station is Moorgate, which is now step-free since it has been remodelled when the Queen Elizabeth Line was added. From the TFL step free map, wheelchair users note that some of the platforms require use of a boarding ramp. There are also several buses that stop close by.
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
The accessible toilet is by the entrance on the ground floor and handily adjacent to the platform lift. It was spacious. When I visited there was a fold up wheelchair in the corner which would have needed to be moved to enable a wheelchair user to access the toilet. There were plenty of grab rails and an emergency red cord which reached towards the floor. It was clean an tidy.
Staff
Excellent
All the staff were excellent and very supportive. Our group were welcomed when we arrived. I was taken to the platform lift and then met at the top. The tour itself was amazing, the woman who conducted it (sorry I've forgotten her name) was excellent and so knowledgeable, answered questions, made sure the group was comfortable.
Additional Information
The Armourers' Hall is perfect if you like history, you will find this place fascinating. Likewise if you look at their website the Livery Room lit by candlelight for a formal dinner looks so beautiful. The Hall has the wow factor so if you get the opportunity I would whole heartedly recommend a visit.
