Accessibility

Making live entertainment accessible to all is important to us at The Point and we hope that the following guide will assist you in advance of your visit.

We are continually working to upgrade our facilities and ensure equal access for those who may have additional requirements.

We also provide a complimentary Personal Assistant ticket for those customers who may be unable to attend an event on their own due to medical or accessible requirements.

Feedback is always welcome, we encourage you to get in touch with any comments or suggestions for improvements you have.

To download this Access Info Guide as a PDF, click here.
To download this Access Info Guide as a Word Doc, click here.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding the facilities available at the venue before visiting, please do not hesitate to get in touch on the following details

Andrew Golding (Operations Director)
Email: events@thepointsunderland.co.uk
Tel: 0191 565 5755

Postal: HQ The Point Performing Arts & Events Venue
12-14 Vine Place
Sunderland, SR1 3NE

We aim to respond to all enquiries within 5 working days.

Due to Covid 19, we are working on a reduced staffing structure and are not office based full time. We advise that you email in the first instance or if preferred, send us your contact details and we can arrange to call you back.


Venue Information

Entrance

A large entrance on street level with double doors accessible ramp and assistance if required (please don’t hesitate to ask a member of the box office or security team for assistance). The Box Office and cloak room is located directly inside the main entrance on the ground level. An accessible lift is also on the same floor, this will take you to the main hall on the 1st floor. Please contact the venue if you require a chaperone to assist you to your seat.

First Floor

The accessible toilet is located on the 1st floor in the main room next to the lift in the main hall. Please ensure you bring a radar key.

The Main Bar has a lowered counter and a designated serving area, we also have the facility to provide seat side service upon request. Please contact us for more information prior to the event if you require seat side service.

There is a designated viewing area within the main hall, please contact the venue if you require accessible viewing.

Please click here to view Accessible Facilities on a Floor Plan.

A Hearing Loop is available, please contact the venue to pre-book, we will require a pre-registration and a £20 deposit to hire a venues loop. Please contact the venue before arrival so we can limit your waiting time and ensure you have all the information required.

We have two magnified latency screens either side of the main stage to improve viewing.

Where possible we have made adjustments to improve accessibility with our customers in mind. It is advisory to contact the venue before your arrival to ensure your experience is enjoyable and smooth as possible. For further assistance whilst visiting the venue please do not hesitate to contact a member of our staff.

How to Book

General admission tickets can be purchased by visiting our What’s On page.

If you wish to book a PA ticket or a seat in our accessible viewing area, please contact the venue (full details on these facilities are below)

Andrew Golding (Operations Director)
Email: events@thepointsunderland.co.uk
Tel: 0191 565 5755
Postal: HQ The Point Performing Arts & Events Venue, 12-14 Vine Place, Sunderland, SR1 3NE

Personal Assistant Tickets

For customers with additional needs who have purchased a full price ticket to the event, we can provide one ticket free of charge for a personal assistant or support worker to attend with you. Please just let us know when booking that you will be bringing your PA along.

Accessible Viewing Area

We have a seated accessible viewing area that allows a clear view of the stage. Unfortunately, we are unable to allow more than 1 PA per person in to this area due to the limited space.

The accessible area should be pre booked as space is limited. When booking, please advise as to whether you are a wheelchair user or whether you will require a seat on the platform. If you are bringing a Personal Assistant, a seat will be provided for them.

Requests for seating access on the night of the event may not always be possible, but where capacity allows, we will of course facilitate last minute requests.

Getting Here

By Road:

If you are using Sat Nav you can use the venue postcode below or click on the name of each car park below for more information, including opening and closing times

Address:
The Point Performing Arts & Events Venue
Holmside
Sunderland
SR1 3HY.

Parking Near By:

Boughton Street Car Park – Sunderland City Council
Civic Centre car park – Sunderland City Council
The Bridges Shopping Centre, Sunderland

Please remember to check the closing times of your car park if you intend to stay late as vehicles locked in will be charged a release fee.

There is also on street parking available on the roads surrounding the venue.

By Rail:

Sunderland Station is located approximately 300 metres from the venue. For details on station facilities and to view train timetables, please visit the link below

Your UK Train Journey Planner – National Rail Enquiries

By Metro

Park Lane Metro Station is located approximately 200 metres from the venue. For details on station facilities and to view train timetables, please visit the links below

Timetables and stations | nexus.org.uk /
Park Lane | nexus.org.uk

By Bus

Park Lane Bus Station is located next to the Metro station, approximately 200 metres from the venue. For details on station facilities and to view timetables, please visit the link below

Bus timetables | nexus.org.uk

Drop Off Points

As the main entrance to the venue is located on Holmside and this is currently used as a bus lane, we recommend if you are traveling by car or taxis that you are dropped off via Derwent Street which is next to the venue (expect approximately 40 meters of fairly flat surface, with a slight downward gradient to the main entrance from the direction of Derwent Street to The Point Performing Arts & Events Venue).

Early Entry

We allow an early entry system for those customers who have pre booked accessible requirements with us. Please arrive at the venue 15 minutes prior to doors. As soon as we are able, we will allow entry, giving you time to access the area you are booked into and be advised of your nearest toilets and exits.

Any questions you may have, or anything we can assist with, please do not hesitate to ask our staff.

Event Timings

As a rough guide, for live music, a standard event opens at 7pm and will finish by 11pm. This may vary from show to show, so we advise checking the event listing on our website for individual show details.

The opening time will also be stated on your ticket. Please note that this will be the time the venue opens, not the time the show begins.

Stage times for each event will usually be shared on our venue social media accounts in the days leading up to the event. These are subject to change.

Opening times for other event types vary greatly so we recommend you check the individual event listings for information.

If you have any queries regarding planning the timings of your journey or visit, please get in touch.

Arriving at the Venue

When you get here, we offer priority entry ahead of the queue for those with additional needs. Please make yourself known to a member of security at the main doors and they will escort you through.

If you have booked a space in the accessible area, or have reserved tickets for collection, you will need to speak to a member of our box office team who will give you the relevant accreditation.

The box office is located directly inside the main entrance. To collect your accreditation or tickets, you will need to bring along a copy of your email confirmation.

From there, a steward will direct you to the area in which you are booked, and point out the accessible facilities.

If your tickets have been posted in advance or you are holding an e-ticket and you do not have a personal assistant ticket or access area pass to collect, you do not need to visit the box office.

In this case, the door staff will scan your ticket and show you to the relevant area and point out your nearest accessible facilities.

Medical

If you are feeling unwell or require medical assistance at any point during your visit to the venue, please speak to any one of our stewards or security staff.

If you are required to bring medication or medical equipment in to the event and have any concerns regarding this, please contact us in advance or you can request to speak with our duty manager when you arrive at the venue.

Free drinking water is available at all bars.

Assistance Animals

Assistance animals are welcome however, we may request proof that your dog is registered with an organization that is a member of Assistance Dogs UK.

Production

There will be flashing lights throughout most performances, and strobe lighting/smoke/other effects may be used at times. Signage will be displayed within the entrance and around the venue advising of any “out of the ordinary” special effects and where possible, customers will be made aware of specifics in advance. If you have any concerns regarding the use of special effects, please get in touch.

Local Area Map

 

Locations Marked on the Map

  1. The Point & Live Lounge
  2. Holmeside Bus Stops
  3. Bridges Shopping Centre
  4. Derwent Street Drop Off Point
  5. Park Lane Metro/Bus/Taxis