Tag Archives: shakespeare

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Attractions: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

This week, Quingo Scooters are heading to London as part of our Accessible Attractions series. A reconstruction of the 1599 Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is a must for any lovers of history or literature!

Situated on the Thames, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is a unique celebration of the world’s most popular playwright. Whether you want to discover more about Shakespeare and his London or see his plays staged, there’s always something interesting to see. Using performance, tours and galleries, the Globe creates an authentic and detailed experience of Shakespeare in performance.

Quingo Scooters Globe Theatre
Photo: Tom ReedyWikimedia Commons

What’s On

Activities at the Globe range from plays to presentations, both permanent and temporary.

  • Globe Tours (all year, 9.30am-5pm): Take a guided tour around the Globe Theatre, which departs every 30 minutes. The tour allows guests to examine Sam Wanamaker’s epic reconstruction of the 1599 Elizabethan theatre. It explores both historical and contemporary elements, to deliver a modern experience of Elizabethan theatre. In summer months, guests can discover the Sam Wanamaker indoor theatre. Based on Tudor and Jacobean theatre, this small space is designed with intricate detail to the period.
  • Exhibition (all year, 9am-5pm): Throughout the year, the Globe is home to many temporary and permanent exhibitions and galleries. Here you can explore the life of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Currently, the ‘Festival In Focus’ exhibition displays photographs of over 600 performers. View them on stage, see audience reactions and discover backstage stories. Produced by a group of leading theatre photographers, it provides a candid insight into the diverse and vibrant performances at the Globe.
  • Performances: No trip to the Globe is complete without a show. From mid-April to mid-October, you can enjoy performances in the open-air theatre. In the colder months, the indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is home to several exciting plays. This winter is no exception, showing plays including ‘The Secret Theatre’ (16 November-16 December 2017) and ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ (11 January-3 March 2018)
Quingo Scooters Globe Theatre
Photo: Txllxt TxllxTWikimedia Commons

Opening Times and Entry

The Globe Theatre’s standard opening is 9am-5pm daily, excluding 24 and 25 December. Prices for this vary seasonally. For performances, opening times and prices vary. The Box Office is open from 10am-6pm daily.  Additional information on opening times can be found here and information on prices can be found here.

Getting There

Situated on the South Bank of the Thames, the Globe is accessible from the Waterloo and Southwark Bridge. There is limited parking possible on New Globe Walk and the surrounding area with a blue badge. There are Underground stations close by, with Blackfriars and Mansion House 10 minutes away, and London Bridge, Southwark and St Paul’s 15 minutes away. If you are travelling by bus, there are several nearby bus stops and a coach stop by Southwark Bridge. Additional information can be found here.

Accessibility

There is flat access to Shakespeare’s Globe and accessible entrances can be found on New Globe Walk. The entrance to the Exhibition is accessed via a ramp on Bankside. Ramps and lifts to all floors are found within the theatre, as well as accessible toilets throughout. Guests travelling to the Globe can use the Access Information Line, operating from 10am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Here, you will find advice in specialised services, as well as more information. This can be found at 020 7902 1409 or [email protected]. You can view or download the Globe Theatre’s full accessibility information here.

About Quingo

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 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Accessible Attractions: Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Quingo Scooters are always encouraging users to get out and about to visit interesting or unusual places on their mobility scooters, especially places that you didn’t think were accessible enough.

Over our series of blog posts we’ve been sharing with you some extremely accessible attractions to explore on your mobility scooter for a fantastic day out! This week we’re heading to Stratford-upon-Avon to step in to the world of Shakespeare.

QUINGO ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE 2

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Dedicated to the English playwright, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre is owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Situated in Shakespeare’s birthplace, the theatre is located in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon beside the river Avon.

It seats over 1000 after undergoing a major renovation in November 2010, known as the Transformation project. Part of the renovation included creating a new thrust stage auditorium, designed to bring actors and audiences closer together. The distance of the furthest seat from the stage has been reduced from 27 metres to 15 metres.

The renovation included the creation of an array of public spaces, including a Riverside Café, Rooftop Restaurant and an observation tower. Part of the renovation also involved making the theatre fully accessible for the first time, and more comfortable for people with disabilities. There are also other Royal Shakespeare Theatres at other locations, including London and the USA and Canada.

QUINGO ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE 3

What’s on?

As expected, the theatre is home to many of Shakespeare’s works. The plays are on for a selected period of time and are in rotation so that more of his works can be performed. Some current highlights include:

  • Cymbeline – 31st October to 17th December 2016
  • King Lear – 10 November to 23rd December 2016
  • Much Ado About Nothing 9th December 2016  to 18th March 2017

There are also some other performances that aren’t to be missed:

  • Snow in Midsummer by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig – 23rd February to 25th March 2017
  • The Hypocrite by Richard Bean – 31st March to 29th April 2017
  • Salome by Oscar Wilde – 2nd June to 6th September 2017

You can discover all of the performances by going to the what’s on section of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre website.

Accessibility  

The renovation in 2010 created three times as many dedicated mobility scooter and wheelchair spaces than the previous auditorium. When booking your tickets, make the Box Office aware that you require a dedicated accessible space. You can also request an audio described or captioned performance too if required.

There is a large lift to all levels of the theatre, and these are fully accessible to mobility scooter users. There are seven Blue Badge Holder parking bays on Waterside which is directly outside the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and there are ten bays on Chapel Lane which is the road opposite.

More access information is available on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre website.

Share your accessible attraction with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible places on your Quingo or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo

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 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Accessible Outdoor Places to Visit in London

Here at Quingo Scooters we know how much fun it can be to spend the day doing something different, or visiting a place you thought maybe wasn’t accessible enough. Now that summer is coming into full swing, you’d probably much rather be spending time outdoors on a lovely day instead of being indoors.

In this blog post we’re taking a look at the best outdoor attractions to visit in central London – and of course, they’re all fully accessible. Whether you live near the capital and have everything on your doorstep, or you live further afield but fancy a trip to London for a nice day out – there’s always loads to do! From theatres to zoos, many of London’s outdoor attractions are accessible for mobility scooters.

Quingo ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR PLACES TO VISIT IN LONDON 3

Kew Gardens – Richmond

The impressive Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is set over 300 acres in the borough of Richmond, around 30 minutes from central London. Any gardeners out there are sure to love this day out, as there are more than 30,000 species of living plants – the largest collection in the world. There are many attractions on at the gardens and loads of things to do to keep every member of your group entertained. The gardens are fully accessible, as are the glasshouses and galleries. There are eight designated extra wide parking bays in the car park which are nearest to the ticket kiosk.

WWT London Wetland Centre – Barnes

Recreating 105 different habitats from around the world using a mosaic of pools, ponds and lakes, the WWT London Wetland Centre offers something really different. New technology and TV monitors let you explore the wilderness areas of the reserve. There are free guided tours and bird feeds daily, and loads of lakes, ponds and gardens to explore. The majority of paths have tarmac and are accessible for mobility scooters. Other accessible features include low level access to the ground-floor hides and a fixed hearing loop in the audio-visual theater.

Quingo ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR PLACES TO VISIT IN LONDON 2

Shakespeare’s Globe – Bankside

Located on the bank of the River Thames, this reconstructed open-air theater brings the world of Shakespeare to life using interactive exhibits and demonstrations. A full theater programme runs between May and September at Shakespeare’s Globe, and all the details of what’s on can be found on the website. The entrance to the exhibition is via a ramp, and the theater has a provision for mobility scooter and wheelchair users.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo – Battersea

Located in the borough of Wandsworth, the zoo is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea. Definitely a great one to keep the younger members of your group entertained, the Battersea Park Children’s Zoo is home to all sorts of animals – from farmyard favourites to monkeys, birds and reptiles. There is also a contact area where children can see all the animals up close and stroke them. The zoo is fully accessible, made so by ramps throughout the attraction. There’s always a different exhibition taking place at the zoo, so make sure you check what’s on in order to plan your trip the best way possible!

Share your accessible attraction with Quingo!

If you want to share your mobility scooter accessible attraction, we’d be delighted to hear from you. You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo

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 308478.