Accessibility

The Forum has been designed and operates with accessibility in mind for all.

Welcome to The Forum. This page explains our current facilities to assist in planning your visit. If you need any further information, call or email us and we’ll be happy to help. We also really value your feedback, so if there’s anything you think would be useful to add to this page, feel free to get in touch.

At a glance quick links

Who can help - Our Customers Services team can give assistance anytime during your visit.
Arriving at The Forum - We have step-free access including lift access to all floors, accessible parking on site and information about arriving by public transport or taxi.
Facilities - We have accessible toilets including a Changing Places facility and a family room. For more detailed information you can take a look at our access guides of all our spaces.
Guide and assistance dogs welcome

Customer Services

The Customer Services team can give assistance at any time, visit the Customer Services desk or look out for one of the team wearing a navy blue tops and a name badge in and around The Forum.

There is level access to the Customer Services desk located on the ground floor, on the far right hand side as you enter the building.

A member of The Forum Customer Service team with blue polar neck shirt — Customer Service Adviser at The Forum

Meeting Point

A dedicated Meeting Point is located next to Customer Services. Look out for the blue symbol as a safe meeting point in The Forum.

Safe Place and TITAN

The Forum is a registered member of the Norfolk Safe Place and TITAN schemes, assisting vulnerable people when travelling independently.

For further information visit

Safe Place - norfolk.gov.uk/safety/safe-places
TITAN - norfolk.gov.uk/education-and-learning/school-and-college-transport/titan-travel-training

The Forum has an emergency evacuation procedure for our visitors with limited mobility. There are Refuge Points, which are fire protected safe havens, on each emergency exit route and on every floor of the Forum. Visitors will be assisted to safety by a member of staff.

The Forum is a registered member of Norwich City Dementia Action Alliance.

High view of the main Atrium with the Customer Service point in the far right corner. — The Customer Services desk can be found towards the back right of the building.

Arriving at The Forum

The main entrance to The Forum has level access and is through a revolving door. There is an accessible door to the left of the main entrance. The door is 1.5m wide and a release button is located at 1m height.

A ramp runs along the Bethel Street at the side of The Forum and has a handrail.

There is level flooring inside The Forum entrance.

An automatic glass door at the front of The Forum, with a push button to open it on the right hand side. — Accessible entrance

A ramp with two red brick walls and railings either side. — Bethel Street Ramp

Front of The Forum from the top of the ramp. Level tiled flooring, a secure bike parking on the left and café to the right. — Route from the top of the ramp to The Forum entrance

Accessible parking

The Forum has a multi-storey underground car park with 209 spaces. There are twelve spaces for Blue Badge holders, which can be found on Level –2, and eight parent and child spaces on Level –1.

The car park has motion activated LED lighting throughout. Intercoms are located at the entrance/exit barriers and pay machines if you require assistance.

A lift operates from the car park to all Levels +1 and -3 of The Forum.

Automatic doors are available on Level -1 and -3, with a push pad operated door on Level -2 enabling easy access to payment machines and the lift.

Normal parking charges apply. Payment is via payment machines which accept cash and cards.

The Forum car park has been awarded a Disabled Parking Accreditation.

Entrance to The Forum's underground car park on Bethel Street Norwich with blue sign including a parking symbol. — The Forum car park entrance

Car park bays with blue accessible parking symbol, with flat level concrete flooring. — Blue Badge Parking

Automatic door with push button to open, level flooring leading to a pay machine. — Pay Machine nearest the Blue Badge Parking Spaces

An open green automatic door with level flooring leading to a pay machine and lift. — Automatic door on Level -1 in open position

A closed green automatic door with level flooring leading to a pay machine and lift. — Automatic door on Level -1 in closed position

Arriving by public transport

The nearest bus stops are on Theatre Street (150 yd), Red Lion Street (0.2 miles), St Stephens Street (0.2 miles) and Castle Meadow (0.3 miles).

The nearest train station is Norwich Station which is 0.7 miles from The Forum.

Arriving by taxi

When booking a taxi ask to be dropped off on the Bethel Street side of The Forum, where you can access the ramp which runs to the main entrance.

Accessible toilets

There is level access to our visitor toilets on the ground floor of The Forum between the Gallery and the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library.

There are two accessible unisex toilets to the right-hand side and a separate family room including baby change facilities. There is a Changing Places toilet on the left.

A Radar key system has been installed to minimise the abuse of the facilities. You may have your own Radar key but these are also available to borrow at Customer Services.

For the Changing Places toilet an access card can be collected and returned to Customer Services.

Take a look at a detailed access guide for our accessible visitor toilets.

You can also find accessible toilet facilities in The Auditorium lobby, The View, Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, Café Bar Marzano and PizzaExpress.

Visitor toilets at The Forum on the ground floor.

Lifts

There are 3 lifts which provide access to all levels.

The lifts have audio which announces the floor numbers at each level. The lift buttons have raised numbers or letters and digitally display the floor number at each level.

All the lifts have LED spotlights and no music is played inside.

Take a look at a detailed access guide for our lifts.

Glass doors and full-height windows have contrast markings.

The Gallery and Auditorium spaces may have low lighting during exhibitions and talks.

The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library have specific equipment to assist visitors who are partially sighted and can provide documents in large print. The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library offers large print books in fiction and non-fiction as well as a range of audio books and other reading aids.

PizzaExpress has an audio menu. The Good Food Talks app (GFT) allows the customer to listen to menus in the restaurant or at home. It also enables the user to view menus in dyslexic fonts or high contrast displays. If you don't have a smartphone please ask the PizzaExpress team and they will be able to provide an iPad with the GFT app loaded.

D/deaf and hard of hearing visitors

The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library has an induction loop.

During events there may be background music or live amplified performances.

Our lifts have audio which announces each level.

Guide and assistance dogs

Guide and assistance dogs are welcome inside The Forum, including assistance dogs in training.

The nearest toileting area for guide and assistance dogs is Chapelfield Gardens, 0.2 miles from The Forum.

Water bowls for assistance dogs are available on request in Café Bar Marzano and at the Customer Services Desk.

Hidden disability visitors

The Forum is a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme to support visitors who have a non-visible disability. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent by wearing a sunflower item.

Quiet times and spaces

Quieter times to visit are early in the day between 8.30am–10am when the building first opens.

The Forum's Atrium can sometimes be crowded and noisy, especially during festivals and events. Quiet spaces can be found in Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library and downstairs in The Auditorium lobby.

Relaxed and quiet events

During festivals and events produced by The Forum including Norwich Science Festival, Norwich Games Festival and Norwich Book Festival we offer relaxed and quiet sessions and activities.

These include relaxed, sensory-friendly events which have limited capacity and can be pre-booked. Take a look at the What’s On listings to find out what events are coming up.

Essential companions

Visitors with access needs who require a carer or companion to support them during an event can book a free Essential Companion ticket, alongside one paid ticket. No proof of eligibility is required.

This is available for events produced by The Forum and booked via our ticketing system, Ticketsolve, with the option to share access requirements at checkout.

Sunflower Snug

During festivals produced by The Forum we have a Sunflower Snug which offers an accessible, quieter space - ideal for transitioning into festival activities, taking a calming break, or spending your entire visit in a more relaxed setting.

The Sunflower Snug is staffed by a trained team and includes sensory and calming activities. You can also borrow ear defenders and fidget toys to use as you explore other areas of the festival.

Facilities for families

A ramp for easy access with pushchairs runs along the Bethel Street side of The Forum.

There are 8 family parking spaces on Level -1 of The Forum car park with lift access to Levels +1 of The Forum.

Baby change facilities can be found in the Family room, on the ground floor between the Gallery and Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. There are also baby change facilities in the Children's Library.

The Children’s Library run a programme of family storytelling events and activities. See the What’s On section for information.

Families are welcome at Café Bar Marzano and Pizza Express who can provide high chairs.

Parents are welcome to breastfeed or bottle-feed in The Forum and Café Bar Marzano is a ‘breastfeeding friendly’ café .