Our venues
One of the joys of RTF is our use of a wide range of venues, from the tiniest back room of a shop to the grandest historic setting. We love our pop-up venues and street entertainment, but we also want to make the festival as accessible as possible. So that’s a challenge. As a starting point, we are committed to making as much information as possible available to our audiences and artists about each of our venues and spaces. This will be a constantly evolving project.
We are working with Ripon Disability Forum on the Accessible Ripon project. Ripon Disability Forum has also produced an interactive map with accessibility information for the centre of Ripon. We have also collated as much information as we can about our venues into the table below.
For general car parking information and Blue Badge bay locations see details at Visit Ripon.
There is a Changing Places toilet in front of the Library, see Changing Places.
For Public Toilet facilities see Public Toilets.
Our Festival Access Champion is Kate Sharpe. Please do get in touch with any suggestions and feedback about how RTF can be more accessible.
| Venue | Parking | Physical Access – steps, level access, lifts, wheelchair accessibility | Toilet facilities | Induction loop / other sensory or auditory facilities | Anything else? | Additional info from venue website |
| Arts Hub | Some on-street parking is available outside the Arts Hub in the evenings, and two disabled parking spaces are available further up Allhallowgate outside the Workhouse Museum. There is also parking nearby in St Marygate car park and Victoria Grove car park. | There is level access to the venue and a wheelchair lift down the small flight of steps to the performance area. | An accessible toilet is available from the bar area and backstage. | An induction loop is in place. | The performance of Batty at 8pm on 9th July will be BSL interpreted. | Ripon Arts Hub |
| Workhouse Museum | Some on-street parking is available outside the Arts Hub in the evenings, and two disabled parking spaces are available outside the Workhouse Museum. There is also parking nearby in St Marygate car park and Victoria Grove car park. | The workhouse garden is fully accessible for wheelchair users via a ramp. The Workhouse Museum is mostly on one level with two rooms on the first floor. Doorways and corridors are wide enough to allow wheelchair and mobility scooter access. An access lift is available (100cm x 148cm). There are uneven floors and a mixture of surfaces. There is low lighting in some areas of the museum. | Accessible toilets are available on the ground floor in both the Vagrant Block and Main Buildings. | An audio guide is available. | Workhouse Museum | |
| Courthouse Museum | Parking is available in the Cathedral car park (Sainsbury’s). | The Courthouse Museum consists of three rooms plus entrance hall. There are three steps with handrail at the entrance. The floors are on several levels and walkways around the Courtroom are narrow. The doorway from the Jury Room to the Justices Retiring Room is too narrow for wheelchair access. | There are no toilets available for visitor use, but public toilets are located nearby, to the left of the Courthouse. | Courthouse Museum | ||
| Police and Prison Museum | Parking (including spaces for Blue Badge holders) is available in the council car park across the road, St Marygate car park. | The Prison and Police Museum is on two floors. An access lift is available (100cm x 148cm). When exiting the lift on the first floor, visitors need to open a heavy door. Wheelchair users may need assistance. The cells on the first floor have narrow doorways and a slight step but will allow most wheelchairs through (unless self-powered). The floors are uneven and there is low lighting in some areas. The stone stairs to the first floor have very worn and uneven stone steps. Handrails are provided. | There is an accessible toilet available for visitor use on the ground floor. | Prison & Police Museum | ||
| Ripon Cathedral | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). There are limited spaces for Blue Badge holders on the Cathedral forecourt; please ring 01765 6062072 to arrange this. | The floor, as in any historic building, can be uneven. There are wheelchairs available on request and you are never far from a seat if you require one. | There are no toilets in the Cathedral, but public toilets are located across the road. | Ripon Cathedral | ||
| Little Ripon Bookshop | Public car parks are available nearby. | There is no level access and the steps are too steep to allow ramp access. | Toilets are available for visitors. | The Little Ripon Bookshop | ||
| St Mary Magdalen (Leper Chapel) | There is no dedicated parking area, but you can usually find places to park along the opposite side of the road (i.e. heading north). | Level access for wheelchairs. | Accessible toilet on site. | Leper Chapel | ||
| Ripon Library | There are no car parking spaces designated for the library. However, a large pay and display car park is immediately in front of the library, split into sections reflecting duration of stay permitted. | The library has automatic doors and all areas are accessible to wheelchairs. The library is located on the first floor and may be accessed by stairs or lift. | Toilets with baby changing facilities are available. | The meeting room is fitted with a hearing loop and there is a portable hearing loop for use in other parts of the building. | Ripon library | |
| Holy Trinity Church | During the day there is a small free car park and plenty of street parking; after 6pm there is a large supermarket (Booths) car park nearby that is free too. | The site is accessible by wheelchair and lifts are available to the lower floor. | Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are available. | Holy Trinity Ripon | ||
| Allhallowgate Methodist Hall | Parking (including spaces for Blue Badge holders) is available in the council car park next door to the Hall (Victoria Grove car park) and also across the road next to Sainsbury’s supermarket (Cathedral car park). | Level access to all areas. | Male, female and accessible toilets are available. | Our defibrillator is on the Hall wall facing the bus station. what3words: ///deck.eclipses.products | Allhallowgate Methodist Church | |
| Market Place | Public car parks are available nearby. | Level access to all areas. | Public toilets are available nearby. | Ripon Marketplace | ||
| Cathedral Forecourt | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). There are limited spaces for Blue Badge holders on the Cathedral forecourt; please ring 01765 6062072 to arrange this. | Level access to all areas. | There are no toilets in the Cathedral, but public toilets are located across the road. | |||
| Kirkgate | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). | Level access to the street. There are steps into some of the businesses’ main premises. Some have facilities to enable wheelchair access. | Public toilets are available nearby. | Kirkgate | ||
| Minster Gardens | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). | Level access to all areas. | Public toilets are available nearby. | Ripon Cathedral and Minster Gardens North | ||
| The Portly Pig | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). | Level access for wheelchairs through the front door. There is a standard width door and a tight turn for access. The event is unfortunately on the upper floor, only accessible via stairs. | No easily accessible toilet. | The Portly Pig | ||
| Spa Gardens | There is limited on-street parking in Church Lane alongside Spa Park opposite the entrance to Spa Gardens. | Wheelchair accessible from the main Park Street entrance. The entrance from Skellbank is very steep with many steps. | There are disabled toilets in the gardens. | Ripon Spa Gardens | ||
| The Old Deanery | Blue Badge holders can park inside the gates. Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). |
No accessible toilets. | The Old Deanery | |||
| Ripon Races | Information coming soon. | |||||
| Lister House | Information coming soon. | |||||
| The Ripon Inn | There is some parking on site; conditions apply and signs explain these. There is limited on-street parking in Church Lane alongside Spa Park opposite the entrance to Spa Gardens. | Level access to all areas. | Accessible toilets on site. | The Ripon Inn | ||
| The Unicorn (Wetherspoons) | Parking is available in the Market Place and at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). | Level access to all areas. | Accessible toilets on site. | The Unicorn Hotel | ||
| Costa Coffee | Parking is available in the Market Place and at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). | Level access to all areas. | Accessible toilets on site. | Costa Coffee | ||
| The Magdalen’s Pub | Parking is available on street and the pub has its own car park. | Level access from the rear entrance. Standard size doors and a right-angled turn into the seating area. | No accessible toilet. | The Magdalens | ||
| The King William IV Pub | No nearby on-street parking, but Tesco’s car park is nearby. | Step-free access is possible through the rear gate, but there are steps into the pub and also to the performance area. | No accessible toilet. | |||
| The One Eyed Rat Pub | Some on-street parking is available outside the premises in the evenings, and two disabled parking spaces are available further up Allhallowgate outside the Workhouse Museum. There is also parking nearby in St Marygate car park and Victoria Grove car park. | Level access, but standard width doors and a sharp turn in the porch entrance. | Accessible toilets on site. | The One Eyed Rat | ||
| South Lodge Pub | Free parking on site. | Ramped entrance at the front and level access from the garden area. | Accessible toilets on site. | South Lodge | ||
| The Royal Oak Pub | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral car parks (Sainsbury’s). | A ramp for wheelchair access is available from the rear entrance. Steps are too high for a ramp from the front on Kirkgate. | Accessible toilets on site. | Royal Oak Ripon | ||
| Harrogate Road Methodist Church | Information coming soon. |