Subscription Rooms

*This audit was completed before the COVID-19 social distancing measures were introduced*

Accessibility Rating 

Physical 

Three and a half out of five

Sensory

Four and a half out of five

Location: Subscription Rooms
George Street
Stroud
GL5 1AE

Parking and entrance

There are 8 accessible bays at the back of the Subscription Rooms that are free for blue badge holders. Disabled guests are entitled to use the back entrance of Subscription Rooms which is much closer to the car park. There is a small doorbell on the back door to gain entrance. There is also step free access at the front of the building. To get to the front of the building you are required to travel on the road which may cause distress for a wheelchair user who isn’t accompanied by anybody.
The ramp to the main entrance is on the opposite side of the building to the car park, it has a handrail and the edges of the ramp are painted white to make them more visible for people with a visual impairment.
The main doors are automatic and there is a ramp inside on the right.

Reception/Box office and offices

The reception is at the top of the ramp on the left. This is a large space with plenty of sofas. The desk is at a lowered height meaning the receptionist can easily communicate with a wheelchair user or person of small stature.

The offices for employees of the Subscription Rooms are to the right of the box office. These a spacious so allow plenty of room for a wheelchair user to work here. The desks are large and have plenty of knee recess underneath.

George room

The George room is on the right of the entrance and is often used for exhibitions and smaller events. This is an easily accessible room and is ideal for wheelchair users. This room would be used as the dressing room for wheelchair users as the 2nd floor is currently inaccessible.

Bedford bar

The Bedford bar is down a small passageway that has spotlights on the walls. It is quite dark down this passageway however it is not a very long distance.
The tables in the Bedford bar are all a suitable size for a wheelchair user to sit underneath comfortably and the chairs are easily moveable. The Bedford bar is beautifully decorated and is a lovely place to relax.
The bar is quite high and there is no lowered section for wheelchair users so it may be difficult for a wheelchair user of person of smaller stature to communicate with the bar staff. There are no large prints menus currently available however there is a blackboard at the back of the room with the menu in a large font.

Accessible toilet

The accessible toilet is on the right-hand side of the building near the Bedford bar. The toilet is quite small making transferring to and from the toilet quite difficult for a wheelchair user. There is an emergency pull cord on the right-hand side of the toilet when seated, there are no ring pulls on the cord so it may be difficult for somebody with limited dexterity to grab hold of the cord. All the amenities are at a lowered height which is suitable for a wheelchair user.

Lift

The lift is large enough for a wheelchair user and assistant but there is not enough turning space. The buttons are easy to reach and there is a lift voice communication. There is also a mirror on the back wall so a wheelchair user can see behind them when reversing out of the lift.
There is a refuge area just outside the lift with enough space for up to 6 wheelchairs.

Ballroom and stage

The ballroom has a capacity of up to 400 people and all the chairs are moveable making it a very versatile space. Up to 6 wheelchair users can attend an event in the ballroom at any one time.

The stage is currently inaccessible for a wheelchair user due to its height. There are steps with a handrail leading onto the stage on the right-hand side.

Balcony

The balcony over-looking the ballroom is currently inaccessible for wheelchair users due to there being steps to get to it on each side. This area is typically used when a show is sold out for extra seating, however they would allow this space to be used for somebody on request if they would prefer to be away from crowds etc.

Kendrick bar

At the back of the ballroom is the Kendrick bar which is open throughout performances. There is now an additional entrance to this bar from the middle of the ballroom which is much wider than the original end entrance and would be much easier for wheelchair users. The bar is directly to the left which could cause congestion for people trying to get through to the queue and be difficult for a wheelchair user to get through. The tables are not suitable for a wheelchair user as they are too narrow to sit under comfortably. To the right-hand side of the bar is another door which takes you back to the landing and refuge point.

Dressing rooms

The dressing rooms are currently inaccessible for wheelchair users due to fire safety regulations. There is a spiral staircase that leads to the dressing rooms and an evac chair cannot be used on these types of staircases. There is a toilet and shower in the dressing rooms as well as a small kitchenette. The dressing rooms are very large and spacious with good lighting.