Lewes Little Theatre is a community theatre with a 154-seat auditorium, a foyer and bar facilities, housed in a 1920s building that was formerly a church.
In May 2023, the East Sussex theatre hired the Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) to carry out an extensive access audit.
The theatre’s management team wanted advice before they planned a programme of works to improve the building’s accessibility. They were conscious of the fact that the foyer and front entrance were not wheelchair accessible.
Affordable changes
Judi Watkinson, a CAE Access Consultant, said: “As the Lewes Little Theatre is a volunteer-run organisation which receives no public funding, the audit had to work hard to provide clear, pragmatic advice as to how best to use limited funds. Where possible, recommendations for improving accessibility and inclusion came at zero or very low cost to the theatre and provided clarity in terms of priority, urgency and relevant legislation.”
Chloe Holland, a trustee and acting member at Lewes Little Theatre, said: “The access improvements are not just for disabled theatregoers. Most audience members are older people, so we want to our theatre to be ‘age-friendly’.”
Access for all
As a result of the access audit, the Lewes Little Theatre:
- removed a row of seating to enlarge space for access and wheelchair/scooter users
- updated its website to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standards
- improved wayfinding signs within the theatre
- created two accessible parking bays which are marked out in the car park
- carried out disability awareness training for front-of-house staff.
Chloe said: “The audit was useful in many ways, as it helped our organisation improve its customer journey and get a better understanding of the barriers disabled people face.”
Accessibility as a continuous commitment
CAE’s access audits helps plan towards creating a genuinely inclusive environment and welcoming service for all. The audit for Little Lewes theatre had recommendations for short, medium and longer-term which can be used to create an action plan for accessibility and can help with the test of reasonableness in relation to the theatre’s legal duties as a service provider, with limited funds, under the Equality Act 2010.
Chloe added: “We’re planning to implement all CAE’s recommendations, including creating a step-free front entrance and installing a stairlift, so wheelchair users can access all public areas. In the meantime, as this is a longer-term plan, we’ve put in reasonable adjustments.”
Find out more about our access audits and the consultancy services we offer.
(Top image: the exterior of Lewes Little Theatre).
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- Before: Lewes Little Theatre car park
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- After: Lewes Little Theatre car park with two marked-out disabled parking bays.
