Venue access guides

Below you can find detailed access information and images about each space in The Forum to help you prepare for your visit.

Quick links

Accessible visitor toilets | Lifts | The Atrium | The Gallery | The Auditorium | The View | Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library | Café Bar Marzano | PizzaExpress

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 side of The Forum and has a handrail.  

There is level flooring inside The Forum. 

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. 

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

Accessible visitor toilets on the ground floor of The Forum. There are also accessible toilet facilities in The Auditorium lobby, The View, Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, Café Bar Marzano and PizzaExpress.

First toilet to the left - Changing Places

This is a Changing Places toilet. The room is 11m squared and there is an automatic sliding door with a clear opening of 104cm.

The door opens automatically on tapping the access card on a reader to the left of the sliding door. There is only one access card issued at any time. The door locks automatically. To release the door press the ‘PRESS to open’ button to the right of the exit.

The bench is adult sized, height adjustable and free standing. There is ceiling track hoist on a loop.

There is a peninsular toilet, an adjustable height washbasin, a privacy screen and colostomy shelf.

There are wall and drop down grab rails.

First toilet to the right - Family room

This is a family room with a right-hand transfer toilet and baby change facilities.

The room is 1.98m wide x 2.6m long, door width 85cm.

The door has a horizontal rail on the inside at 96cm to the top of the rail.

To access the family room you will need a Radar key which can be borrowed from the Customer Services desk.

Second toilet to the right

This toilet is right-hand transfer and the room is 1.98m wide x 2.68m long.

Door width 85cm. The door has a horizontal rail on the inside at 96cm to the top of the rail. There is a colostomy shelf.

Third toilet to the right

This toilet is left-hand transfer and the room is 1.98m wide x 2.68m long.

Door width 85cm. The door has a horizontal rail on the inside at 96cm to the top of the rail. There is a colostomy shelf.

Lifts 

There are 3 lifts which provide access to all floors. 

The lifts say the floor numbers at each floor. The lift buttons have raised numbers or letters and show the floor number at each floor.   

Car park/Atrium lift 

This lift provides access to Levels +1 to -3. This includes the car park, toilets, Gallery, Customer Services Desk, Café Bar Marzano, Citizens Advice Bureau, Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, The View and PizzaExpress. 

The lift has front and back opening doors which are 1.1m wide. Inside the lift is 1.6m wide and 1.4m deep. There are lights to indicate when the doors are opening and closing.   

The lighting in the lift is LED spotlights and no music is played inside. The flooring is PVC non-slip material. 

The Gallery/Auditorium Lift

This lift provides access to Levels G (groundfloor) to -2. This includes access to the Gallery and Auditorium.

The lift doors are 1.1m wide and inside it is 1.6m wide by 1.4m deep.

There is a mirror located opposite the doors.

The lighting in the lift is LED spotlights and no music is played in the lift. The flooring is PVC non-slip material.

Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library Lift

This lift provides access from the ground floor to the 2nd floor of Millennium Library. This includes access to the American Library, Children’s Library, Norfolk Heritage Centre and the Business and IP Centre Norfolk. 

The lift doors are 1.1m wide and inside it is 1.6m wide by 1.4m deep.

The lighting in the lift is LED spotlights and no music is played in the lift. The flooring is tiled.

Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library

The Library is located across three floors inside The Forum. There is step-free access to all floors using the Library lift (see Lift information). 

The ground floor entrance is 2.4m wide. The first floor mezzanine entrance is 1m wide. 

The flooring is tiles and carpet. The lighting is natural light and LED overhead lighting.

There is an information desk on the ground floor. The information desk is 1m high.

There is an induction loop.

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.

The Atrium

The Atrium is an open plan space on the ground floor of The Forum and there is step-free access.

The flooring is tiles with small carpeted areas at the entrances. 

There is lots of natural light and LED lighting in the evening.

You can see a full 360° tour on The Atrium venue hire page.

The Gallery

The Gallery is on the ground floor of The Forum and there is step-free access.

The entrance doors are 2m wide when both are open. 

The flooring is carpet and lighting varies depending on the event but is mainly LED spotlights.

You can see a full 360° tour on The Gallery venue hire page. 

The Auditorium

The Auditorium is on Level -2 of The Forum and there is step-free access via the lift (see Lift information).

The entrance doors are 90cm wide.

The flooring is carpet with laminate flooring on the stage area.

Lighting varies depending on the event. There are spotlights on the stage and adjustable LED lights. There is LED lighting in the lobby area.

Seating is fold-down theatre style chairs. There is space for wheelchair users.

You can see a full 360° tour on The Auditorium venue hire page.

The View

The View is on Level +1 of The Forum and there is step-free access via the lift (see Lift information).

The entrance doors are 1m wide as a single door, 2m wide double doors.

The flooring is carpet with laminate flooring by the drinks station. There is vinyl flooring in the toilet and access corridor.

There is overhead LED lighting.

There is a right-hand transfer toilet in The View. The door width is 90cm and the interior is 2.5m wide x 1.5m long. There are grab rails either side of the toilet and sink.

You can see a full 360° tour on The View venue hire page. 

Café Bar Marzano

Café Bar Marzano is located on the ground floor of The Forum and there is step-free access. The Café doors are 2m wide with both doors open.

Food and drink are ordered from the service counter and can be brought to your table if needed.

The height of the service counter is 1m high, the bar counter is 1.2m high.

The flooring is wood laminate and tiles. There is ambient lighting.

The menus are displayed on boards behind the counter.

Café Bar Marzano service area and bar

PizzaExpress

PizzaExpress is located on the first floor of The Forum and there is step-free access via the lift (see Lift information).

The flooring is wood laminate. The lighting is natural and ambient light. 

There is table service available and hand-held menus. 

PizzaExpress has an audio menu. The Good Food Talks app (GFT) taps into the current capabilities of smartphones and computers and 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.