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Accessing the venue

Live Theatre takes accessibility very seriously and wants to make sure that everyone can comfortably enjoy our shows. Below, we have listed our current access options, which we hope will make all audience members feel welcome and at home.

Venue access

Parking
The Quayside car park is 100 metres from the theatre and can be accessed from City Road and Trinity Gardens. This secure car park is open from 7am to midnight, costs £1.40 per hour and is free after 6pm. There is limited on-street parking on Broad Chare and nearby streets, and there are additional car parks nearby.

Access to Live Theatre
There is level access to Live Theatre from Broad Chare. The main doors are automatic and the doors are double width.

Inside access
There is level access throughout the building, with a few low gradient ramps. There is lift access to three floors and adapted toilets on all levels. All toilets are level surface or ramped, and the downstairs accessible toilets have height adjusting sinks, rails and a hoist. Lighting levels are bright and there are baby change facilities in the ground floor accessible toilet.

The box office and reception desk is six metres from the front entrance. There is level access to reception from the entrance and the reception desk is low with a raised section for varied access. Lighting levels are bright and the hearing system is an induction loop.

Live Theatre is fully accessible and has the following facilities for visitors:

  • Baby changing area and nappy disposal bin 
  • Restaurant serving hot and cold meals
  • Assistance and guide dogs welcome
  • Facilities for D/deaf and hard of hearing people
  • Assistance available if required
  • Facilities for blind and partially sighted people
  • Male and female toilet facilities
  • Level access
  • A lift to all theatre spaces
  • Accessible toilets
  • Electric hoist in the downstairs toilet 
  • We can offer quiet or prayer spaces for those who need it (Please call our Box Office to Enquire or speak to the Duty Manger on arrival.)

Facilities for D/deaf and hard of hearing people

  • We provide captioned performances
  • We provide BSL signed performances

Facilities for blind or partially sighted people

  • We provide audio described performances, which need to be booked in advance
  • We provide free touch tours, which need to be booked in advance
  • There are two hearing assistance systems
  • There is a fixed loop system
  • There is an infrared Seinheiser system
  • Documents can be requested in Braille
  • Documents can be requested in large print

Other access information

  • There are spaces for wheelchairs in the cabaret area of the theatre
  • Wheelchairs are left with patrons, or can be stored by the Customer Service team
  • Assistance dogs are allowed in all areas
  • There are bowls of water available on request for assistance dogs
  • Staff receive disability training

Audio Described Performances Infrared system 
Headsets are needed and used for designated Audio Described performances in our main theatre. For Audio Described performances only we can offer an in ear infrared hearing system for use by customers without hearing aids. Sennheiser headsets should be worn with the logo facing up towards the front. 

There are two switches on the unit – an on/volume switch and a switch with three choices to choose what you are using the unit for

  • Stereo symbol – mix of show relay (what is said on stage) and audio description (commentary on the action on stage)
  • Position One – enhanced show relay (what is said on stage) in both ears
  • Position Two – audio description not show relay

 This needs to be requested at the time of booking and is available from the Box Office when you arrive. 

 

Assisted Listening Devices (ALDs)

The Main Theatre has two Assisted Listening Devices (ALD's) for hearing impaired customers.  Audio Induction Loop and Infra-Red.

1 - Audio Induction Loop
Suitable for customers wearing hearing aids fitted with a telecoil (T position)  Users will need to select the T position on their hearing aids to listen to audio via the induction loop.  The induction loop is not compatible with hearing aids without a T position.

2 - Infra-Red
Suitable for hearing impaired customers who don't wear hearing aids or wear removable hearing aids without a T position. Customers wishing to use the infra-red will need to wear one of our stethoset receivers with integrated headphones.  These are worn around the neck and are available from Box Office/Customer services team member upon arrival.

Both ALD's provide full coverage of the auditorium.  Customers can sit in any seat - fixed and cabaret. Both ALD's are available to customers for all performances or events.  Audio Described performances are only available through the Infra-Red system.

The Studio Theatre has an Audio Induction Loop
For customers with hearing aids with a T-position, available for all performances and events, providing full coverage of the Studio.

Box Office has a counter mounted portable Audio Induction Loop for customers with hearing aids with a T-position. Always available.  

Accessible print
Leaflets and programmes produced by Live Theatre are available in a range of formats including Braille. Call (0191) 232 1232, email info@live.org.uk with your request or speak to Customer Services staff.

Assisted performances
Live Theatre offers a range of assisted performances aimed at improving the theatre experience for all our audience members. These services are marked with the appropriate symbol on the event pages, (symbols BSL, Captioned or Audio Described).

Assisted interpretation is offered at no extra cost for service users, and do not affect the performance for other audience members.

Click on this link to see current productions with assisted interpretaion. 
 

British Sign Language
A BSL interpreter is positioned on or next to the stage to communicate in a non-verbal language.

Captioned
The words spoken by the performers are displayed as text on a screen, on or next to the stage, similar to television subtitles.

Audio described
A live commentary of the action on stage is described through personal headphones, between words spoken by the characters.

Touch tours
To complement an audio described show, this is a hands-on tour of the set, describing props, costumes, characters and the visual style of the show, especially for visitors with visual impairments. Touch Tours are a separate event and have to booked separately. They usually take place an hour before the main performance and are free.

Join our Access Support Club 
If you are D/deaf, hard of hearing, visually impaired or disabled, have specific access needs, or require a carer companion, join Live Theatre's Access Support Club so that we can give you the best support to enjoy our plays, events and buildings to the full. Your information will be kept securely and will save you time when booking in future. We also have a specific access mailing list which you can opt into if you wish to receive information about our Access interpreted performances. We'd also be very grateful for your feedback on what we do. To join email: tickets@live.org.uk   

If you have any access needs which are not addressed on this page, or you have any questions, please contact us on (0191) 232 1232, by Typetalk on 18001 232 1232 or by email to tickets@live.org.uk and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 

  • Arts Council England
  • Community Foundation
  • European Regional Development Fund
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