Venue Description

We deliver an extensive programme of activity each year including theatre productions and participatory workshops, weddings, tea dances, community support groups and corporate events for participants including over 3,000 local children, young people and older people through tailored learning activities. The Bees Knees is designed specifically for 0-5 year olds. We provide a central hub for community workshops, advice sessions and events covering education, domestic violence, family care, social and physical wellbeing. We also have a vibrant café bar space in the Scratch Bar.

Accessibility

Our venue has 2 ramps at the Main entrance alongside lit handrails, and normally a powered door/ramp at the Scratch Bar entrance on Town Hall Rd (cafe ramp/door currently closed for building works). Our Box Office has a portable induction loop available, and always keeps pen and paper handy. We have some staff members who can converse in BSL. We also welcome working dogs and our Café Bar can provide water bowls, if required. A new large lift has been fitted which offers easy access to all floors, making almost the whole building accessible to wheelchair users, and we have drastically increased our number of accessible toilets across the building. We have recently audited our building and are taking steps to make improvements, thinking of ability, sensory and intellectual access, and are being helped in this by a number of disabled artists who work in and around our building. Our ambition is to create a 'Relaxed Venue' which shares the environment of a relaxed performance across all of our programming, activities and spaces, with dedicated areas available to remove barriers to access.

Accessibility Guide

Accessibility Guide Link: https://www.bac.org.uk/content/39605/your_visit/access/access

Access Statement

Access Statement Link: https://www.bac.org.uk/content/15965/visit_us/access/access

Accessible Performances

Subject to our programme, we aim to provide BSL-supported, audio-described, subtitled and/or Relaxed performances for any shows which last for a number of weeks. This is not yet possible for shows here for only a few days. We also have a portable induction loop which can be taken to any space. Check our website or with our Box Office for details. We are working towards our whole venue and every performance becoming accessible and relaxed.

Toilets

We have two accessible toilets on the Ground Floor at the front of our building, and further ones on every floor, as well as an accessible bathroom and bedroom for our resident artists. We are aiming to improve these facilities during 2017 as a number of them exist within rooms which are not as spacious as we would like to provide. We are sometimes working with the original configuration of an 1893 building, but we want to provide a fullt-spec'ed Changing Places space.

Staff

For large scale and longer running productions, we aim to make provision for customers who are hearing or visually impaired and details will be included with the shows, on our website or through our Box Office. These include BSL-supported, subtitled and "Relaxed" performances. A Front of House staff member will always be happy to help you reach your destination within the building, and our Box Office can answer any concerns you may have.

Assistance dog facilities

Assistance dog exercise facilities

We do not have an outside space available for this that can be guaranteed safe - i.e. is is not a segregated area. Inside the building is a courtyard space which can be accessed for this purpose by speaking to our Duty Manager, and Clapham Common is 10 minutes' journey by foot if that is more convenient. Town Hall Road is our private road next to the building, but it is used by vehicles and although quieter and more managed than a public street, is not safe for un-monitored animals. Resident artists will occasionally bring animals to stay with them. Battersea Arts Centre is also the home to Pluto, our resident theatre cat.

Other assistance dog facilities

Our Scratch Bar can provide water bowls, and our Welcome Desk staff will be happy to assist in any way they can.