Accessibility

Essential companion tickets

Essential companion tickets are available free of charge. To book please contact the box office on 01524 598500 or email tickets@dukeslancaster.org for more information.

Physical Access for Box Office, Cafébar, Gallery and Performances and Screenings in the Rake

The Dukes’ front entrance is accessed via 4 steps, followed by two further steps. These steps have a handrail on the right-hand side. To access our ramp, go down the cobbled alley to the left of the main entrance and then turn right.

Please ring the doorbell by the ramp and a member of staff will open the doors. A car park space can usually be reserved at the back of the building (access via St Anne’s Place) in advance for those who need access via the ramp. Please mention this when booking.

The whole of The Rake’s Front of House facilities, including the gallery, Box Office and accessible toilet, is on one level. The Rake theatre has one row of accessible seating on the front row, our chairs in this row can be removed to accommodate customers using wheelchairs.

The Box Office is located directly in front of the main entrance. To collect tickets you will need your name and ticket reference.

There is a dropped kerb to the left and right of St Anne’s Place, giving access down the cobbled alley to the ramp mentioned above. There is also a dropped kerb outside the Round entrance.

Physical Access for Performances and Screenings in the Round

The Round entrance is open 20 minutes before the start of the performance. The Round entrance, including an accessible toilet, are fully accessible to wheelchair users. There is a dropped kerb outside the Round entrance. If you arrive more than 20 minutes before the performance or would like to access the Box Office, Cafébar or Gallery, please see the access details above.

Physical Access for events in Moor Space

Moor Space is fully accessible to wheelchair users and has an accessible toilet.

FACILITIES FOR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE

Watchword Subtitling Glasses

WatchWord is an ‘always-on’ closed-captioning accessibility system designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing cinemagoers

It works by broadcasting closed captions, provided with a film, over Wi-Fi to augmented reality glasses. These glasses can be worn over prescription glasses and around cochlear implants.

While many films display open captions on the screen, WatchWord offers a discreet closed-captioning system, ensuring that only those wearing the glasses can see the captions. Unlike other forms of closed captioning, the use of augmented reality glasses provides users with a superior line-of-sight viewing experience, so there’s no need to look away from the screen.

WatchWord has been designed to be easy to use. Once you’ve requested the glasses by emailing tickets@dukeslancaster.org, simply collect them from our staff, who will show you how they work (please allow plenty of extra time before the film to try the glasses out in the comfort of the cafe bar before entering the auditorium)

Find out more

We are limited to two pairs of glasses per screening so it is vital you reserve a pair in advance to guarantee we have enough available.

*Check our listings for watchword compatible films

Hearing Assistance with MobileConnect

Our Rake auditorium is equipt with Sennheiser MobileConnect, an assistive and personal listening solution that streams live audio content via WiFi to any iOS or Android phone.

Before you visit, simply download and install the free MobileConnect app.  Once you're here, connect to our MobileConnect WiFi (Password is MobileConnect).  Use the Dukes QR codes (available on screen & at box office) to access Channel 1 (live theatre & cinema) or Channel 2 (Direct cinema sound).  Link to your own earphones or bluetooth compatible hearing aids and you'll receive the same high-quality audio as everyone else, with complete control over your volume and sound settings.

MobileConnect can also translate audio to text:  On your phone, go into Settings//Accessibility// Live Captions, then turn on.     The captions then show in the App screen alongside the Audio track.

Please arrive nice and early if you require assistance from our staff in getting set up with Mobile Connect

Infrared sound systems are available to amplify sound via a personal receiver which can be borrowed for your visit. This can be used with or without a hearing aid.  Please note that there is no infrared sound system or hearing loop available in Moor Space.

Captioned Screenings: Selected film screenings in our programme are captioned for hard-of-hearing patrons. 

BSL Interpretations: Each of the shows produced by the Dukes have a British Sign Language Interpreted Performance. For details of our upcoming BSL Interpreted Performances please see www.dukes-lancaster.org/events-grid. 

Hearing dogs are welcome and fresh drinking water is always available for them.

FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

For people who have difficulty seeing the stage, all shows produced by The Dukes have an audio described performance and a pre-show touch tour of the set. The audio description provides a live commentary (pre-recorded for The Dukes park show) of all the visual aspects of the production via a personal receiver provided by The Dukes. The professional audio describer will set the scene, describe the costumes and props and describe the actors’ movements and facial expressions as they happen. This is done in such a way as to ensure you will hear as much of the dialogue as possible.

We also offer touch tours before our audio described performance to enable people with visual impairments to feel their way around the set, costumes and props to get a better understanding of the show. Please let the Box Office know if you would like to use the service when you book. For details of our upcoming Audio Described Performances please phone the Box Office 01524 598500.

Guide dogs are welcome and fresh drinking water is always available for them.

Please contact us in advance if you require any assistance – we will be happy to help in any way we can.

OUR SEATS

The seats in The Round comprise of two and three-seat benches, which have backs but no arm-rests. If you have concerns about seating during the performance please contact our box office on 01524 598 500.

PARKING

An accessible parking space is bookable in advance. Please contact box office on 01524 598500 or email tickets@dukes-lancaster.org to book.

There are drop off points on the street where the entrance of the Dukes is located (Moor Lane). Two accessible short stay car parks can be found if you turn right just past the Dukes.

For information on Blue Badge parking visit: 

https://www.lancaster.gov.uk/parking/blue-badge-parking-bays-in-lancaster

If you need any information about access ahead of your visit you can contact Karen Chandisingh, our access champion.