Not a happy experience
1.5
1.5
Date of visit: October 2014
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: disabled toilet
Overall Rating
Poor
Several unpleasant difficulties at this cinema. I wouldn't recommend it for wheelchair users - they put you in the front row, ridiculously close to the screen, so that there's no pleasure in watching a film.
Disabled Access In and Around
Bad
The lift up to the cinema was broken. No sign on it telling us this or apologising. A Vue employee had to take us on a long route to a filthy and ramshackle service lift which, she said, keeps breaking down, and an engineer had got stuck in it for an hour recently. We were led through a disgustingly filthy service area (rotting food smeared all over the floor) to the back of the cinema. The wheelchair space is a few feet in front of the screen, MUCH too close to the screen, so it was impossible to watch the film with any pleasure. I will never go there again.
Parking & Transport
Average
There is parking at Westfield, and it is possible to arrive step-free on the Jubilee or DLR lines. Beware of the maze leading you out of Stratford Station. If you've come by Jubilee Line, you are likely to end up at the two lifts at the foot of the staircase leading to the bridge to Westfield, and these lifts are dreadful. One was out of order when I visited, the other was hugely over-full. I queued for 20 minutes to use it.
Accessible Toilets
Bad
As so often when venues are run by ignorant staff, the red emergency cord had been tied up out of the reach of anyone who might fall to the floor and need it. Disgraceful. A rubbish bin had been put in the wheelchair transfer area. In other respects this toilet was OK.
Staff
Average
The employee who took us via the service lift did not seem to care about the normal lift being broken. In other respects she was friendly and helpful.
Additional Information
On the evidence of this visit, I do not believe that Vue Cinemas take accessibility seriously. I will never go back to this cinema.
