The Royal Albert Hall
Overview
"The world's leading figures in music, dance, sport and politics have appeared on our stage since we opened in 1871, and now over 1.7 million people enjoy live experiences here every year, with millions more experiencing our events through broadcasts, recordings and new media channels. Our iconic venue is open to the public during the day through tours of the building, live music in Verdi, and free exhibitions, and is home to the Elgar Room, a state-of-the art small-scale performance space."
Contact details
Kensington Gore London London SW7 2AP United Kingdom
https://www.royalalberthall.com/plan-your-visit-essential-safety-information/accessibility/
Access guidance
- All restaurants and bars are accessible to wheelchair users. Please be aware that the Wine Bar has high tables and stools so may be inappropriate for some guests with immobility. For more information, please visit our Food & Drink pages. Public lifts are located at Doors 1 and 8 with automatic doors, Braille, tactile numbering and voice announcements. These lifts serve all levels from Basement to Gallery. Arena Foyers can be accessed via a platform lift from Basement level at Door 1. Box doors on the Grand Tier are generally 66 cm wide but some have widths up to 140 cm, so wheelchair users can generally access the back row of the box. Boxes on Loggia and Second Tier are not wheelchair accessible. The corridors of the Hall are narrow and can become quite congested. To avoid accidents, we therefore ask that, if possible, powered mobility scooters are parked in one of our larger entrances at doors 1, 3, 4, 8 or 9. Our Stewards can provide an attendant wheelchair to assist you around the Hall and to your seat. If you choose to remain in your scooter please take care to drive responsibly and slowly and be mindful of the safety of others.
- For customers attending events in our main auditorium there are usually ten free parking spaces for Blue Badge holders in the West Car Park. The entrance is located outside Door 8, which has ramped access to the building. To book a space, please have your vehicle registration number to hand and phone our Access Line on +44 (0)20 7070 4410. For some events, such as during the BBC Proms Season, the car park is unavailable and a limited number of Blue Badge spaces are made available on the south-east side of the Hall near Door 2. On rare occasions we may not be able to offer any Blue Badge parking at all due to event requirements. Information about roadside Blue Badge parking bays can be found on the Westminster City Council website. The tour involves a moderate amount of walking and standing and so flat, comfortable shoes are a good idea. On the grand tour, lifts are available for those who struggle with stairs. However, we can't offer the same service on a backstage tour because of the constraints of a Grade I listed Victorian building.
- Unisex wheelchair-accessible toilets are located as follows: Ground Floor (Level 0): Door 4 porch, Door 8 porch and Door 12 Grand Tier (Level 1): Door 4 Rausing Circle (Level 3): Door 8 Arena Foyers: Door 1 Gallery (Level 5): Door 1 The accessible toilet at Gallery level is 48cm high and all the others are 45cm high.
- Guide and hearing dogs are welcome. Please let us know when booking your tickets so we can offer appropriate box seating where your dog can remain with you during the performance. If you prefer, or if you are sitting in an area which is unsuitable for dogs, you may leave your dog with a Steward until the end of the performance. If you plan to bring a guide or hearing dog, please make a request through our Accessibility Request Form or call 020 7070 4410. In case of an emergency, please leave the building under the direction of the Stewards. You will be directed to an assembly point where we will reunite you with your dog.
- Two tickets for the price of one are available for disabled people who require an assistant companion (subject to availability).
- The Royal Albert Hall encourages event promoters to produce large print programmes. To order a large print programme, please complete request it via our Accessibility Request Form at least 10 working days in advance of the performance that you will be attending. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee that promoters will always offer this service. Selected performances at the Hall are audio described. Please call the Access Line on 020 7070 4410 to find out more about this service.
- The auditorium, Elgar Room and North Circle Bar all have an infra-red system with a number of personal headsets for use with or without hearing aids. To reserve a headset, please use our Accessibility Request form. If you are part of a group that requires a BSL interpreter this can be arranged with advance notice and you can book this through us by calling 020 7959 0558. Tours for groups or individuals who are visually impaired can also be arranged. Any group that wishes to bring its own descriptive or language interpreter is welcome.
- If you would like a Steward to read your programme to you, please make a request through our Accessibility Request Form or contact the Information Desk at Door 6 upon arrival. Fully trained medical staff are available during all performances. Stewards are positioned throughout the Hall should you require assistance. The First Aid Room is located on the Ground floor at Door 4. The Access List aims to offer disabled customers an easier and better service when booking tickets and attending performances. If you would like to join the Access List, please call the Access Line on 020 7070 4410 or download the postal application form. All of our tours, except the Behind the Scenes tour, are accessible to customers with disabilities and we can also arrange touch tours and tours for the deaf and visually impaired. Please call 020 7589 8212 to book. Lifts are available around the building, making all tour routes fully accessible to guests who use wheelchairs.