The UK is blessed with a rich musical heritage, as well as plenty of wonderful venues in which to enjoy some of the world’s leading performers. The great news is that many of these venues are also very accessible for those of us who use a mobility scooter. So, here is Quingo Scooters’ guide to just a few of the best.
1. Brighton Centre, Brighton
This is a fantastic arts and music venue that has really put accessibility for all at the heart of everything it does. There is great lift and ramp access throughout for those of us who use mobility scooters and they have recently increased the size of their viewing platform within the auditorium to accommodate even more people with different mobility needs. There are accessible toilets, and you can also use the lay-bys outside the venue to drop off and pick up, although the team there recommend that you don’t park there as there is a strict time limit. There is the usual on street Blue Badge parking available nearby however, and you can find out more about the days and times that this is available here.
2. Cecil Sharp House, London
For those of you who love folk music, the Cecil Sharp arts centre in London really is unmissable. The venue itself is beautiful, and even though it is an old building the team have done a wonderful job of ensuring that there is step-free access to every floor. There is lift access from the Gloucester Avenue car park, where you will also find three spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders. Highlights this summer include a performance of Appalachian Ballads in June and a performance in July from fiddle player Ryan Young, the Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Up And Coming Artist of the Year’.
3. The Lowry, Manchester
We travel north to Manchester now, which has become a thriving home to the arts and media. One of the jewels in Manchester’s crown is The Lowry, a spectacular building in its own right and a space designed to be as flexible as possible for all kinds of different performances. The team there have also done a great job of making it as accessible as possible to all, with access throughout and reserved wheelchair spaces in all three of their auditoriums. They recommend that visitors with mobility needs park at the nearby Lowry Outlet car park where there are a number of Blue Badge holder spaces on the ground level. Just give the team there a call on 0843 208 6000 if you have any questions before your visit.
4. Grand Theatre and Opera House, Leeds
Heading over the Pennines now to Yorkshire, and the wonderful Grand Theatre and Opera House in Leeds. It’s home to the spectacular Opera North of course, whose season of performances culminates in staging of Aida in June. However The Grand is also a great place to see everything from ballet to musical theatre: the performance of West Side Story this April should be unmissable. There are stairs in the auditorium but there is also lift access to many areas (with the exception of the Upper Balcony). There is also reserved space for wheelchair users as well as accessible toilets. Find out more about Blue Badge parking nearby, here.
5. The Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
For our final stop, we head north to the vibrant city of Glasgow. While its close neighbour and Scotland’s capital Edinburgh might steal the limelight with its annual festival, Glasgow is a thriving arts centre with a rich creative tradition all of its own. One of the best places to experience live music here is the Royal Concert Hall. It’s on Sauciehall Street, right in the centre of town and is home to a broad range of performances throughout the year. One of the highlights this year is a performance of Handel’s Messiah. There is level access throughout most of the venue, including designated spaces for wheelchair users in the auditoriums and you can take your scooter into the public areas of the venue too. There is also Blue Badge parking at the Concert Square car park near to Buchanan Bus Station.
About Quingo Scooters
The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.
Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.
All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC). AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 30847
