4
Good once we got inside
I went to a concert here in November and the help/support once we were actually inside was pretty good. I'd booked an accessible seat and a free carer's pass so we were seated on a raised access platform with a ramp. It was at the back of the room but we could still see clearly over most people's heads. There were members of staff checking to see if we needed anything and a person to take orders for the bar so that we didn't have to try and get through the crowds, although this person did vanish after about half an hour and didn't reappear.
However, getting into the venue was a whole other experience. The entrance for people with access needs was poorly labeled with only one sign on a lamppost pointing to where we needed to be, the entrance was a (step free) fire door with no signage at all so very easily missed, and we were left outside in the cold after all of the other ticket holders had been let inside into the foyer. We were let straight into the room where we would be seated once inside but it really felt like all of the people using the accessible entrance were forgotten about and we were only told that we would be let in after the soundcheck after several of the people with us that could move about easier went and asked members of staff what was happening. The staff also forgot to give any of us stamps which caused some confusion for them when I tried to get back into the main room after leaving to use the toilet.
I would also say that the "accessible" loo (in the foyer) isn't very accessible because it's so small. If I was in my powerchair I wouldn't have been able to get through the door, and as it was I struggled with my rollator. There definitely wasn't enough space in there for my powerchair and a carer.
Overall the treatment we received from the staff was better than most places I've been but the building itself was pretty standard for places that list themselves as accessible .
I went to a concert here in November and the help/support once we were actually inside was pretty good. I'd booked an accessible seat and a free carer's pass so we were seated on a raised access platform with a ramp. It was at the back of the room but we could still see clearly over most people's heads. There were members of staff checking to see if we needed anything and a person to take orders for the bar so that we didn't have to try and get through the crowds, although this person did vanish after about half an hour and didn't reappear.
However, getting into the venue was a whole other experience. The entrance for people with access needs was poorly labeled with only one sign on a lamppost pointing to where we needed to be, the entrance was a (step free) fire door with no signage at all so very easily missed, and we were left outside in the cold after all of the other ticket holders had been let inside into the foyer. We were let straight into the room where we would be seated once inside but it really felt like all of the people using the accessible entrance were forgotten about and we were only told that we would be let in after the soundcheck after several of the people with us that could move about easier went and asked members of staff what was happening. The staff also forgot to give any of us stamps which caused some confusion for them when I tried to get back into the main room after leaving to use the toilet.
I would also say that the "accessible" loo (in the foyer) isn't very accessible because it's so small. If I was in my powerchair I wouldn't have been able to get through the door, and as it was I struggled with my rollator. There definitely wasn't enough space in there for my powerchair and a carer.
Overall the treatment we received from the staff was better than most places I've been but the building itself was pretty standard for places that list themselves as accessible .
