Accessibility

Islington Assembly Hall is a welcoming and accessible venue and we strive to ensure everyone can enjoy events here. Our office hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. For the best experience, contact us during these times on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk. For urgent enquiries outside of these times, contact us on socials, @Islington_AH.

We’re proud to have been awarded the Attitude Is Everything Bronze Standard Charter of Best Practice for our commitment to venue access to our customers and performers, and below is more information about our facilities and policies that have helped us achieve this.  

Attitude is everything, Bronze, three stars

Is your venue accessible?

Yes, there is level access to our main auditorium. On arrival, please let the security on the front doors know if you require the step free entrance and they can show you around to it.

We work hard with Attitude Is Everything to continually improve access for all our customers and encourage feedback from our customers after attending a show with us.

What can I expect once I am inside the venue?

There are no pillars or fixed obstacles in the main hall. We set up the space with furniture based on discussions with the hirer beforehand. There is ground floor access to the foyer. The balcony and basement can only be accessed by stairs during events, as there is no functioning lift. At all our concerts, we ensure there is a viewing area close to the stage and accessible toilet. This is reserved for deaf and disabled customers and their personal assistants / carers, as well as for customers who, for medical reasons, require seating. If you require a seat or space in this area, please contact the venue.
As a grade II listed venue, during busy shows or shows in the summer, the venue can get hot. There is an extraction system in place bringing fresh air in to the venue but on hot days, it can remain hot throughout the show.

How do I book a ticket for my personal assistant / carer?

To guarantee a spot, disabled customers who require assistance can request free entry for a personal assistant or carer by contacting the Islington Assembly Hall team directly on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk before buying a ticket.

Due to limited capacity, this is the only area that we offer a free personal assistant ticket. Please note we are unable to accommodate any additional bookings in this area once it is sold out.

After contacting us and purchasing a ticket via an authorised outlet, please do get back in touch to finish up and confirm your reservation. We’ll do our best to make this process as smooth as possible for you.

On the off-chance you have changed your mind or did not manage to secure a ticket, we would appreciate if you let us know so we can then release your hold in the accessible area.

How do I book a wheelchair accessible space?

Give us a call or drop us an email for more details on wheelchair-accessible spaces at shows. You can get in touch with us on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk.

Are there facilities for deaf and hard of hearing customers?

There is a hearing loop in the venue, which can be activated on request for spoken word shows but not currently for live music.

We can also put those hiring the venue in touch with British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to attend events at the venue.

Do you have accessible parking?

Islington Town Hall forecourt is the best place to drop off customers. Dropping off or picking up customers from the side streets nearby is not permitted.  There is no public parking at all in Richmond Grove.  For further information please go to Islington Council's parking for disabled people page - https://www.islington.gov.uk/parking/where-to-park/parking-for-disabled-people

Do you have a lift?

Our venue is listed, built nearly a hundred years ago, so we do not have a public lift, but there is step-free access to the main hall (downstairs) area. Unfortunately, our balcony can only be accessed by two flights of stairs.

What about toilets for people with disabilities?

There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor of the venue which is fitted with an alarm cord. During concerts, a member of our security team is based on the door leading to the toilet and is there to offer assistance if required. Staff will happily assist.

What about blind or visually impaired people?

Should you require braille or large print material, or need anything else at all for your visit, please let us know in advance. You can get in touch with us on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk.

Can I bring my assistance dog?

Absolutely! Just get in touch beforehand on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk and let us know.

Will there be strobe lighting and special effects?

Many of our events are brought in by external promoters and therefore it can be difficult for us to have the full details until very close to the show day. However, please be aware most shows and events now use strobe lighting and smoke effects. We will put signs up on the auditorium doors and foyer if strobe lights are in use.

Please bear this in mind when booking and please get in touch if you have any concerns. You can reach us at 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk.

Can I bring food, drink and medications if I have a medical condition?

Of course, we welcome all attendees who need to bring medicines and food or drink for medical reasons. Please notify us in advance via 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk so we can let the venue team know.

What are your seat dimensions?

Seat measurements and types vary between the accessible area and the balcony. Please note all measurements are in millimetres.

Accessible Area
The accessible area is located on the ground floor and there is step-free access available.
The chairs located in this area are approximately 400-450mm wide and 400mm deep with no arm rests.

Balcony
The balcony area can only be accessed via stairs as there is no functioning lift. There are 203 available seats in this section and 42 of these are aisle seats. They are approximately 450mm wide and 400mm deep. Arm rests are fixed and there is approximately a 201mm leg room, except in the first row where there is a leg room of approximately 204mm.

If you have any questions, please just get in touch on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk.

I have an access requirement not listed here, what should I do?

If you have any questions or an access requirement not included here, please just get in touch on 020 7527 8900 or assemblyhall@islington.gov.uk and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can.