Getting there
See the Getting There page for more details, which will soon include photos.
The main access notes are that the shortest route from the (accessible) tram stop to the school is not step-free: there are kerbs without dips on both the south side (at the entrance to Stepping Stones nursery) and north side of the road (at the junction with Balmoral Road).
(Going up Balmoral Road is no good either if you need step-free. For added WTF, a little way further up, at the entrance to another bit of the school, there's a dip on one side but nowhere else on that junction?!?)
Step-free route from the tram stop: Go up from the tram stop and turn right onto Forest Road East. Continue along, past the north end of Balmoral Road, and turn right at Addison Street. Arboretum Street is the second on the right. (And you're at the right end of it!)
Car: The venue has a small car park with spaces just outside the front door: if you need it for access reasons, please let us know.
At the venue – all days
The Sixth Form building we have throughout BiCon is on multiple levels, but there is a lift from the ground floor to most of them.
The exception is a small basement reached via some stairs from our reception and main social space. We will use it as 'overspill' for the social space.
It has an accessible toilet.
The building has sash windows (it's a converted house) and they open.
Floors are medium brown wood effect or dark grey carpet with no visibly distracting pattern.
At the venue – Friday and Sunday
The Squire Performance Centre / The Space – both names are used – is a modern build theatre space.
Step free access is from the front of the building. We should have a PIN code for people to open the door there without having to ring the bell. The alternative access to the foyer involves around ten steps.
Rooms are on two levels. There is at least one lift.
There is at least one accessible toilet.
Windows don't open, but it has an air conditioning system that I am told responds to CO2 levels in the rooms.
Floors are grey tile or dark grey carpet. Away from the entrances, neither seems to have any visibly distracting pattern. By the entrance, the ridges in the carpet mats that are visible, and some ground floor windows have slots for a ventilation system visible on the floor.
On the Friday evening, the bar in the foyer will be open for us.
On Saturday evening, another event has booked the space.
At the venue – layout of rooms
Which rooms we use depends on how many sessions are offered. There will be maps available and signage.