Getting to Are You Listening? Festival
Box Office and Wristband Exchange
Our Box Office and Wristband Exchange is at the AYL? Hub which can be accessed without steps
Address: AYL? Hub, Market Place, Reading RG1 2EQ
The AYL? Hub is a five minutes walk from Reading Train Station and all the town centre bus stops.
Coming to Are You Listening? Festival by Train?
Plan your journey via our official travel partner Great Western Railway here
Coming by Car?
Reading has three Park & Ride options that you can check out here
There are also numerous paid car parks in Reading Town Centre, which can be viewed here
Coming by Bus?
Plan your local journey via Reading Buses here
Coming to by Bike?
Cycling info can be found here
Access Information
Are You Listening? Festival is committed to making the event as inclusive as possible so that everyone can enjoy it with us.
If you have any ideas for improving access at the Festival, or if you have any issues, please get in touch. Running the Festival across multiple venues in the town offers many challenges but we’re constantly looking to improve our accessibility.
Please contact us in advance if you have any questions or require any assistance, we will always be happy to help in any way we can. We aim to answer all access-related enquiries within five working days.
Below is the venue information for all our venues, including arrival, stage view and toilet information. Our venues are all based in Reading town centre, and at their furthest point can be up to 0.7 miles apart.
Festival Venues
AYL? Hub (All Ages. Free Entry)
Address: Market Place, Reading RG1 2EQ.
Map
Telephone: 0118 327 2050
Arrival: The venue is accessed without steps through the main entrance.
Stage: The performance space is on the ground floor and is accessible without steps.
Toilets: This is an outdoor pop-up venue and there are no toilets onsite. There is a specific disabled toilet at St Laurence Church, one minute away.
Face Bar (14+ / u18s with an adult)
Address: Ambrose Place, Chatham Street, Reading RG1 7JE.
Map
Telephone: 0118 956 8188
Arrival: The venue is accessed without steps through the main entrance.
Stage: The performance space is on the ground floor and is accessible without steps.
Toilets: There is no specific disabled toilet.
Milk Bar (18+)
Address: 8 Merchants Place, Reading RG1 1DT. Map
Telephone: 07399 849 888
Arrival: The venue is accessed without steps through the main entrance.
Stage: The stage is on the first floor, accessed by going up 11 steps from the ground floor. Unfortunately, Milk is not wheelchair accessible.
Toilets: There are two toilets which are accessed on the ground floor. There is no specific disabled toilet.
Purple Turtle (18+)
Address: 9 Gun Street, Reading RG1 2JR.
Map
Telephone: 0118 959 7196
Arrival: The venue is accessed without steps through the main entrance.
Stage: The performance space is on the ground floor and is accessible without steps.
Toilets: There is a specific disabled toilet on the ground floor, next to the stage.
St Laurence Church (14+ / u18s with an adult)
Address: 30-31 Friar Street, Reading RG1 1DA. Map
Telephone: 01189 571 293
Arrival: The venue is accessed without steps through the main entrance.
Stage: The performance space is on the ground floor and is accessible without steps.
Toilets: There is a specific disabled toilet on the ground floor, near the venue entrance.
Sub 89 (14+ / u18s with an adult)
Address: 110-117 Friar Street, Reading, RG1 1EP
Map
Telephone: 0118 959 5395
Arrival: The venue is accessed without steps through the main entrance.
Stage: The performance space is on the first floor, which can be accessed by steps up from the main entrance or can be accessed without steps using a lift-accessed down the right side of the building. Please speak to the door staff at the entrance on arrival to use the lift.
Toilets: There is a specific disabled toilet accessed without steps from the performance space.
Bookable Access Facilities
Personal Assistants
Are You Listening? Festival are proud to provide a free ticket for a Personal Assistant. To secure a Personal Assistant ticket, please email us with confirmation of your ticket and we will add your Personal Assistant to our guestlist.
Assistance Dogs
We welcome assistance dogs. Please inform us ahead of the event so we can prepare staff to receive you and your dog.
Medicines
If you need to bring medicines, food or drink to manage a medical condition, or medical equipment you are welcome to do so. We don’t have any medical equipment at our venues.
Performance Access
We currently do not offer an auditory enhancement or assistance such as British Sign Language at this present time.
Strobe Lighting
Some performances may use strobe lighting or hazer (smoke machine). If this is an issue, let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you, or let a member of staff know on arrival.
Viewing Platforms
We do not have any viewing platforms at our venues, but please speak to Are You Listening? Festival Volunteers at the venue who can help you find an accessible viewing space.
Our Contact Details
Our point of contact for all accessibility needs is Dave Maul
Email: info@heavypop.co.uk
Please note: due to the nature of our event, we may not always be available to answer but do try during office hours.
Postal Address: Accessibility Needs, Are You Listening? Festival, South Street Arts Centre, Reading RG1 4QU