ACCESSIBILITY
Future Yard is a new 280-capacity space situated at 75 Argyle Street, Birkenhead. This new community venue will bring some of today’s most exciting new national and international artists to Wirral, while at the same time providing key early performance opportunities for emerging local musicians.
Our building re-imagines the role of a live music venue, providing live industry training and a regional hub for artist development. Future Yard celebrates diversity and champions inclusivity. With the vital assistance of its growing community, we will continuously work to ensure that live music is accessible to all.
Your feedback and involvement in the development and implementation of our processes is welcomed, by contacting our Community Manager.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Community Manager – Cath Hurley
Please email cath@futureyard.org with all queries and information related to accessibility and your visit to Future Yard. Estimated response time is within three days.
If you would prefer to talk on the phone, please email your phone number, along with a preferred time of day to chat.
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VENUE DESCRIPTION
Future Yard currently comprises a bar and coffee shop area, live music space and garden. All of these areas are on our ground floor with step-free access.
Food and drink is ordered from the front bar and food is collected from an outdoor hatch to the kitchen, just outside. Drinks are available at the outdoor bar (when it’s open) and live room bar. Table service is available indoors, our staff are on hand if you require this. Please note, we are a cash free premises, for the safety of our customers and our staff.
All food at Future Yard is vegan with some gluten free options. If you have any allergies or dietary requirements, you can contact us in advance of your visit to check the menu or talk to a member of our staff before ordering.
Upon arrival at the main entrance, our hospitality team are on hand, along with our helpful and friendly security team during events and at weekends.
Face coverings are no longer a mandatory requirement, but if you feel more comfortable wearing one or require one, they are available for our customers and staff free of charge. If you are attending an event, we recommend taking a lateral flow test before you arrive, but will not be enforcing this. We advise that if you develop COVID symptoms, live with those with symptoms or have been advised to self-isolate by NHS track and trace, then you must not attend the venue.
Our live room has a ventilation system that replaces the air in the room 20 times per hour, exceeding the Government’s guidance of 6 times per hour to remove airborne pathogens.
Hand sanitising stations are situated around the venue at an accessible level for those in wheelchairs.
BAR
The main entrance on Argyle Street takes you straight into the immediate bar area, with a wide access point to further seating to the right of this space. The accessible toilet is also situated in this area.
LIVE ROOM
Entry to our live room is through the immediate bar area, opposite our main entrance. A double-door takes you through to the box office with a further double-door leading into the back of the live room, providing a wide access point. The accessible toilet is just outside the live room, close to the box office entrance. Further toilets are located through a double-door to the right of the stage.
The high stage enables a clear view for visitors at a lower height. If you require seating during the performance, this can be accommodated, with ledges around the side of the room to put your drink on. Stools are in place alongside one of these ledges.
If you have any requirements in the live room, please contact us in advance of your visit.
GARDEN
The garden is accessible through a side door in the bar’s seating area. There is a pebble pathway leading to it. It is approximately 40 steps from the door. If you need any assistance down this pathway, staff are on hand to help. The main seating area is slightly elevated with a short ramp providing access. The main toilets are accessible from the garden down a ramp.
The DJ set-up in the garden is housed in a small shipping container, which provides ample room behind the decks. This is currently accessible by a shallow step up into the container.
WORKSHOP SPACE
Future Yard’s workshop space is situated on the first floor. It is accessed through the door at the left of the bar area as you walk into the building. There are two flights of stairs with 15 steps on each with a landing area in between. The top step is slightly higher than the rest of them and brings you on to a landing with the door to the workshop space immediately to the right. If you follow the landing round to the right you will find 4 gender-neutral toilet cubicles on the same level.
There is currently no step-free access to the workshop space. A lift will be provided after the completion of the next phase of building work with the date for this to be confirmed.
BACKSTAGE
A wide entrance from the load-in bay to back of house accesses the dressing room and backstage toilet and shower facilities. There is a ramp down to the side of stage from this area allowing for a step-free load in of equipment. Currently access to our stage is provided by three steps leading up to it.
BOOKABLE ACCESS FACILITIES
Customers with accessibility requirements who are attending an event should contact us in advance. They will be provided with the name of a team member who will be responsible for ensuring their needs are met during their visit. We will organise an arrival time and advise them to give their name and ask for that specific member of the team.
Our bookings team can be contacted on access@futureyard.org.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT TICKETS
For our customers that are unable to attend without assistance, we offer a free ‘personal assistant’ ticket. If you would like to book this additional ticket, please contact us in advance of your booking so that we can allocate this space within the event’s capacity, then book your ticket through the regular ticket link for that particular event.
SEATING AND WHEELCHAIR USERS
If you are a wheelchair user or require a seat during the performance, please contact us in advance. We appreciate that everyone’s needs are different and will work with you to ensure your requirements are met.
SIGN UP TO OUR DATABASE
In order for us to ensure that your requirements are met whenever you visit us, please contact us to be added to our database. This will enable our Community Manager to work with the team to make any adjustments in advance of your visit, without the need for you to provide information multiple times. It will also help us make the booking process as simple as it can be, so that you can focus on enjoying your visit, rather than harbour any concerns that your needs have not been understood. If at any time your needs change, you can update us with any additional requirements and discuss your visit.
Data held will be stored securely and only be used to ensure we can prepare for any needs you may have. Data will be deleted after 3 years.
This database will also enable us to provide a limited pre-sale on shows that we think may be popular, so that the booking process is as stress-free as possible. This will be a feature you can opt-in to when you provide your details.
When you first get in touch with us (on access@futureyard.org or cath@futureyard.org), we’ll ask you if you’d like to be added to our database. We may ask you for some additional information at this point.
TRAVEL GUIDE
PARKING
Future Yard does not have designated parking. It is well serviced by public parking on Argyle Street and a number of public car parks in the area.
TAXIS
Taxis will drop customers off and pick them up at the main entrance. We recommend our local taxi service ARGYLE who have an app that can be downloaded. They have a number of vehicles that are suitable for wheelchairs with ramp access. You can ring them on 0151 201 1111 or call their designated wheelchair access booking line on 0151 647 5858.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Future Yard is served well by local transport. Birkenhead Hamilton Square, Conway Park and Birkenhead Central Merseyrail Stations are all within 0.5miles and have step-free access available. It takes just 4 minutes to get from James Street in Liverpool to Hamilton Square Station. Birkenhead Bus Station is situated just round the corner on Grange Road, 0.2miles away.
You can plan your journey across local buses and trains at Merseytravel.
ARRIVAL GUIDE
VENUE OPENING TIMES
Monday: 10am-11pm
Tuesday: 10am-11pm
Wednesday: 10am-11pm
Thursday: 10am-11pm
Friday: 10am-12am
Saturday: 9am-12am
Sunday: 10am-11pm
Bank holiday opening times, along with special events, may differ and will be communicated through our social media.
Doors for live events are generally at 7pm with a curfew of 11pm. This will be confirmed in the event listings. Some events may have differing times, this will be stated clearly in the event information.
UPON ARRIVAL
Our team are approachable at the door to offer assistance and guidance.
If early entrance to a live event is helpful for you as part of your accessibility requirements, please contact us in advance. Our main ticket provider is Eventim, and we occasionally use See Tickets as well. We ask that you provide us with your name at the box office and we can confirm your entrance with either your ticket or your email address that you booked the ticket with. As stated previously, if you require accessibility assistance, please contact us in advance, so we can plan your visit with our team.
TOILETS
Our accessible toilet is situated just outside the entrance to the live room in the bar area.
Further toilets, with step-free access, are available through the double-doors in the live room to the right of the stage. These toilets are also accessible from the garden, down a short ramp.
CUSTOMERS WITH MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
We welcome attendees who need to bring medicines, food or drink to manage a medical condition, or medical equipment. Please contact us to ensure your requirements are met.
ACCESS TO PERFORMANCE
We are currently working on a number of interventions to ensure that our events are as accessible as possible. These will be shared in due course.
If you are interested in attending a particular event and would like to find out more about what we can and should provide that has not been featured on this page, please contact us to discuss.
ASSISTANCE DOGS
It is a legal requirement to accommodate an assistance dog. If you are attending a live music event with an assistance dog, please contact us in advance, so we can accommodate your needs.
STROBE LIGHTING
Strobe lighting may be used during live performances. If you are affected by strobe lighting, please contact us in advance of your visit.
OTHER INFORMATION
We want your visits to Future Yard to be as enjoyable as possible and we look forward to working with you to ensure this is the case. As our building and community grows, we hope to introduce a number of interventions that ensure this. We welcome feedback and suggestions from all our visitors.
If you would like to discuss anything further, please contact our Community Manager, Cath Hurley, on cath@futureyard.org.
We look forward to welcoming you to Future Yard.