Overview

This review is for the main Corn Exchange venue, not others located in the same area. The attitude taken by this venue to accessibility is disappointing. When I visited for a busy event, they had coned off 2 of the 6 disabled parking spaces. There are two sections to the building and to move between them you need to be escorted by a member of staff out onto the road and then left to wait until someone comes to open a fire exit at the top section. The ramp to this section is so steep as to be unsafe and leads onto a cobbled lane. Although the footpath is not cobbled, it is blocked at one end by a large sign advising visitors to the adjacent Chinese restaurant that they cannot park. This means that to get from this section of the building to the disable parking, you need to go back to the front of the building and then through the atrium area. I am glad it was not raining. I never found the disabled toilet and event staff didn't know if there was one. Both food service areas have very high counters with no accessible section. I had to resort to shouting and waving my arms to get service. I've raised issues at the venue before but have been told the owner is not interested in addressing any of them.

Transport & Parking

Inadequate parking for size of venue (significantly below government minimum number). Disabled bays that were there were partly fenced off. Served by the 35 bus right outside. Main entrance has steps. Alternative entrance not well signposted or always manned.

Access

Awkward. No lift between sections required leaving the building and entering through a fire exit - with a too steep ramp.

Toilets

Never found them.

Staff

A mix. Individual security staff were very helpful. But other staff were willfully ignorant.