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 also 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 and looking forward to the launch of the Accessible Ripon interactive map later this summer. We’ll keep you posted on that, but until then we have 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.
| Venue | Parking | Physical Access – steps, level access? lifts etc | Toilet facilities | Induction Loop? | Anything else? | Accessibility info from venues own website |
| Arts Hub | Some on street parking is available and also nearby in St Marygate carpark and Victoria Grove carpark. | 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 | Ripon Arts Hub | ||
| Workhouse Museum | Some on street parking is available and also nearby in St Marygate carpark and Victoria Grove carpark. | The workhouse museum is mostly on one level with 2 rooms on the first floor. Doorways and corridors are wide enough to allow wheelchair and mobility scooter access. Access lift available (100cm x 148cm). There are uneven floors and a mixture of surfaces. There is low lighting in some areas of the museum. The workhouse garden is fully accessible for wheelchair users via a ramp. | Accessible toilets are available on the ground floor in both the Vagrant Block and Main Buildings. | An audio guide is available. | The museum does not have a cafe but you are welcome to enjoy a picnic on one of the benches in the kitchen garden | Workhouse Museum |
| Courthouse Museum | Parking is available in the Cathedral carpark (Sainsbury’s). | The courthouse museum consists of 3 rooms plus entrance hall. There are 3 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 visitors use but public toilets are located nearby, to the left of the Courthouse | The museum does not have a cafe but you are welcome to enjoy a picnic in the public park outside the entrance. | 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 carpark. | The Prison and Police Museum in on 2 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 though (Unless self-powered). The floors are uneven and there is low lighting in some areas. The stone stair to the first floor have very worn and uneven stone steps. Handrails are provided. | There is an accessible toilet available for visitors use on the ground floor. | Prison & Police Museum | ||
| Ripon Cathedral | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral carparks (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 carparks are available nearby. | No toilets available for visitors. There are toilets at Booths Supermarket | 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). | Not suitable for wheelchairs | 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 6 pm there is a large supermarket (Booths) carpark nearby that is free too. | The site is accessible by wheelchair and lifts re available to the lower floor. | Accessible toilets. Toilets with baby changing facilities are available. | check wheelchair accessible toilet | Holy Trinity Ripon | |
| Allhallowgate Methodist Hall | Parking (including spaces for Blue Badge holders) is available in the council carpark next door to the Hall ( Victoria Grove carpark)and also across the road next to Sainsburys supermarket (Cathedral carpark) | There is Level access to all areas. | Male, Female & Accessible Toilets available. | Our defibrillator is on the Halls wall facing the bus station. | ||
| Market Place | Public carparks are available nearby. | Wheelchair accessible | ||||
| Cathedral Forecourt | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral carparks (Sainsbury’s). There are limited spaces for Blue Badge holders on the Cathedral forecourt, please ring 01765 6062072 to arrange this. | Wheelchair accessible | ||||
| Kirkgate | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral carparks (Sainsbury’s). | Wheelchair accessible | ||||
| Minster Gardens | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral carparks (Sainsbury’s). | Wheelchair accessible | Ripon Cathedral and Minster Gardens North | |||
| The Portly Pig | Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral carparks (Sainsbury’s). | No accessible toilets | ||||
| Spa Gardens | Public carparks are available nearby. | Wheelchair accessible | ||||
| The Old Deanery | Blue Badge holders can park inside the gates. Parking is available at St Marygate and Cathedral carparks (Sainsbury’s). | No accessible toilets | The Old Deanery |