Overview

Located at Cardiff Bay, this vast venue hosts a wide variety of events, including ballet, concerts, and stage shows. It also features a bar and a public café. The venue is home to the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, as well as opera, dance, theatre, and literature companies. If that wasn't impressive enough, this is one of the most accessible venues in Cardiff. It doesn’t hurt that the staff are some of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure to meet.

Transport & Parking

There are 18 accessible parking spaces available at the Wales Millennium Centre, accessed via the back of the building. Though they are pretty spacious, some bays back onto each other, meaning you might need to reverse into a space to make sure you can get your door fully open. As an extra touch, there's a bike pump, Allan keys and various tools available at a stand in the car park. This is great if you need a little more air in your tyres or need to carry out a quick repair of your mobility device. Although I counted. 18, the Wales Millennium Centre advises there are 14 bookable accessible parking spaces. These must be booked in advance, and a charge of £5 will apply when there are performances at the venue. The closest bus stop is just outside the Centre, where you'll find the 1 City Circle, 1A, 6 Baycar, 8, 304, 305, Sky, and X2 bus services in operation. The nearest train station is Cardiff Bay Railway Station, 320 metres from the Centre, where there's a shuttle service to and from Cardiff Queen Street Railway Station every 12 minutes. Cardiff Bay Railway Station is adding a second line at the time of this review, so there may be alternative routes in the future.

Access

There are automatic doors at each of the entrances, with touch pads to open them. Due to how exposed the venue is and its proximity to the water, there may be occasions where certain doors are closed, but there will always be an alternative entrance available. The reception desk is low, making it suitable for wheelchair users. It’s nice to be able to see the person you’re speaking with. Sadly, there isn’t an induction loop at the desk, but there is one at the concert hall. Visitors to the concert hall can request headphones for audio descriptions of performances over English and Welsh channels. Braille is used throughout the venue on signage and the underside of the handrails on each stairway to signal the floor number, which is a lovely touch. The lifts to each floor are spacious—more than big enough for a powerchair—and have both braille buttons and braille signage inside. I was given a tour by Gareth from the security team, who showed me that the evacuation stairwells have Evac Chairs on each level, which is reassuring in the event of an emergency. Throughout the main foyer, there are plenty of seats and tables. Many of the seats have sockets underneath, which are useful for charging electronic devices such as phones or wheelchair batteries. I didn’t enter the concert hall as there were rehearsals for Hamilton taking place, but I’m assured there are accessible seats, wheelchair spaces, and even a quiet area, which is impressive.

Toilets

There are several accessible toilets at the location, which can be found on each floor, along with a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor. Ground Floor Accessible Toilet The door to the toilet opens outwards and does not require a RADAR key. The toilet is small but can accommodate a powerchair user and an additional person. There's space for a left-side transfer, but a bulky bin in the space might cause trouble for some. The toilet is on the back wall as you enter and has silver grab rails on either side. The same applies to the small sink, which has a lever-style tap. The red cord is on your right when seated and was hanging freely during my visit. As with many accessible toilets, there is also a baby change table. There are five additional accessible toilets, but I did not visit them. Ground Floor Changing Places Toilet Unlike the accessible toilet, the Changing Places toilet requires a RADAR key to enter. The door opens outwards. The room is spacious, as one would expect from a Changing Places toilet, and features a ceiling track hoist and an adjustable changing bed. The toilet has both left and right-side transfer spaces and grab rails on both sides. A colostomy shelf is installed to the right when seated, and an emergency cord hangs on the left. The cord already had a Euan’s Guide red cord card attached, with the instructions handwritten in Welsh. The sink is static and has a lever-style tap, with grab rails on either side. The Changing Places toilet feels like an older design, but it is well-maintained and a point of pride for the venue.

Staff

I can't praise the staff here nearly enough, especially Gavin, who was eager to help showcase the accessibility features of the Wales Millennium Centre. Thank you all for being so welcoming and helpful to the random Scottish guy who knocked on your door.

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