Accessible cinema
3
3
Date of visit: January 2019
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets, dexterity or coordination, moving around, seeing, speaking or communicating and understanding.
I use or have experience of: autism, changing places toilet, disabled toilet, sign language, speech impairment
Overall Rating
Average
Accepts CEA cards. Audio description headphones on request. Autism friendly screen times. On asking staff know if a film has strobe lighting. Level access. Disabled toilets. Food and drinks kiosk, though the kiosk is at one hight so it's a bit difficult if you're in a wheelchair. The ticket desk was at an accessible hight from a wheelchair.
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
Wheelchair spaces but limited number, the screen we was in could fit 2 or 3 wheelchairs/power chairs/mobility scooters, though it's a bit of a strain on the neck to look up to see the screen. Not sure if all screens or the theatre have wheelchair spaces. The cinema is all on one level. Signs for the different screen rooms where easy to find.
Parking & Transport
Poor
Some designated disabled parking at the front with dropped kerb. Sadly there is often misuse of these spaces and the staff can't enforce the use of the spaces and weren't very helpful when I last went and pointed out to the manger that there was no blue badge parking spaces and 3 spaces where taken up by cars not displaying a blue badge. All I got told was it was a courtesy to offer disabled parking spaces.
Accessible Toilets
Good
Accessible toilets with plenty of grab rails and enough room for carers to come in and plenty of room to manoeuvre my wheelchair in. The emergency red cord also hung freely to the floor. Only downside was that the toilet roll was at a bit of a reach. Not always clean and tidy.
Staff
Average
Staff are okay, they where helpful when I asked about strobe lighting in a film but when I raised the issue of the blue badge parking spaces and the red cord they weren't particularly helpful. Friendly staff at the ticket desk.
Additional Information
It's the only cinema in the area so there's no choice. The ticket desk and refreshments desk aren't at an accessible hight for wheelchair users. The blue badge space parking could be improved such as increasing the number of spaces.
