Visitors to St George’s Hall are set to benefit from a range of accessibility features designed to make one of Liverpool’s most treasured heritage attractions more welcoming and inclusive for everyone.
Working to improve access across the Grade I listed venue, the hall has introduced and enhanced facilities that support visitors with a wide range of access requirements, helping more people experience its exhibitions, guided tours, events, and performances.
Among the improvements are step-free routes through most of the building, accessible entrances, lifts serving multiple floors, and a platform lift providing access to areas such as the historic holding cells featured on guided tours. Visitors using wheelchairs can access much of the venue through step-free routes and lift access, ensuring more people can explore the building’s rich history and architecture. The installation of a ramp within the Great Hall also allowed wheelchair users to access the famous Minton tile floor this summer for the first time in its history.
The venue also offers a dedicated Changing Places facility, as well as multiple accessible toilets located throughout the building. Adapted toilet facilities are available on different floors, with transfer arrangements to meet a range of needs, while accessible baby changing facilities and adapted shower facilities have also been incorporated.
Visitors arriving for concerts and events can access the North Hall entrance via a step-free route with ramped access and handrails, while the main accessible entrance on St John’s Lane features step-free access, automatic doors, and a lowered reception desk to improve the visitor experience.
Accessibility has also been considered throughout the hall’s guided tours. Tours can be adapted to avoid inaccessible areas where required, and all key spaces on the route can be reached using either standard lifts or platform lifts. Seating is provided at regular intervals to support visitors who may require rest breaks.
Staff working at the venue have received specialist training, including neurodiversity awareness and dementia awareness training, helping ensure visitors receive appropriate support during their visit. Alternative information formats, including large print on request, are also available, as well as detailed accessibility guides via AcccessAble.
The accessibility measures form part of a wider commitment to ensuring that St George’s Hall, one of Liverpool’s most important cultural and heritage attractions, can be enjoyed by as many people as possible while preserving the character of the historic building.
Key accessibility features include:
- Step-free access through most of the venue
- Accessible entrances on both St John’s Lane and William Brown Street
- Standard and platform lifts providing access to multiple floors and historic areas
- A dedicated Changing Places facility
- Accessible toilets across the building
- Adaptable guided tours with accessible routes
- Neurodiversity and dementia awareness training for staff
- Large-print information available on request
- Detailed accessibility guides via AccessAble: https://www.accessable.co.uk/liverpool-city-region/st-georges-hall-liverpool.
Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr William Shortall – the first wheelchair user in the city’s history to take up the role – recently joined disability rights advocate, Harin Ellis, on a visit to St George’s Hall to learn more about the accessibility improvements and provide their feedback.
Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr William Shortall, said: “As a wheelchair user myself, I know how important it is that people can access and enjoy the same spaces, experiences, and opportunities as everyone else.
“That’s why it was fantastic to recently visit St George’s Hall and see first-hand the improvements that have been made to make this iconic Liverpool landmark more accessible and welcoming to all.
“It’s clear that real thought has gone into ensuring more people can experience everything this magnificent building has to offer, and enjoy its history, culture, and events.
“These improvements demonstrate a genuine commitment to inclusion, and I’m delighted to see accessibility being placed at the heart of the visitor experience.”
Harin Ellis, disability rights advocate campaigning for disability rights and inclusion, said: “As a disability rights campaigner, I believe that everyone regardless of disability or ability should be included in important decisions like this. It was an honour to be part of this work. It is so important that disabled people have the same equal opportunity to participate in as many things as possible.
“Disabled people should never be used as a tick box. We are people too, and we deserve the same right to be included as anyone else. All too often, people with disabilities, those with mental health needs, and young people are overlooked simply because they are young or because they have a disability. Not every disability is visible.
“We must be included in every decision – the same decisions that non-disabled people get to have a say on.”
To find out more about Harin’s work, visit: https://www.harinellisdisabilitycampaigner.co.uk
