Accessibility Guide for Spanish Gallery

Welcome

The Grade II listed Backhouse Bank building and neighbouring Barrington School building in the centre of Bishop Auckland have been transformed into the new Gallery by architectural practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Level access

The main entrance has level access. The ramp is permanent.

There is level access from the main entrance to:

Lord Burns Reading Room Gallery 01 Gallery 02 Gallery 03 Gallery 04 Reception Public Toilet Spanish Gallery Tapas Bar Spanish Gallery Shop Buggy Storage

Hearing

We have a hearing loop in Welcome/Ticketing Desk within the shop on the ground floor.

All staff have disability awareness training.

Visual

The walls and the doors have high colour contrast.

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

General

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.

All staff have disability awareness training.

We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.

Getting here

Market Place

Bishop Auckland

DL17 7NJ

Travel by public transport

You can get to Spanish Gallery by bus and train.

The nearest bus stops are in the market place opposite Spanish Gallery and the Town Hall. The bus stop is 0.0 miles / 0.0 km from Spanish Gallery.

The nearest train station is Bishop Auckland Train Station. The train station is 1 miles / 1.6 km from Spanish Gallery.

If travelling by bus you should alight at Bishop Auckland Market Place

The following bus services, service both stops:

Arriva route 6 runs between Durham Barnard Castle via Cockfield, stopping approximately every 30 mins.

Arriva route 18 runs between Durham Barnard Castle via Cockfield, stopping approximately every 30 mins.

Arriva route 56/56A runs between Durham and Bishop Auckland, stopping approximately every 30 mins.

Please check bus routes direct with transport providers. There are additional services that service Bishop Auckland bus station which is located near the Newgate Shopping Centre.

Travel by taxi

You can get a taxi with S & S Travel by calling 01388 615531. The taxi company has a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

We have a transfer service for visitors. Wheelchair users can use the transfer service.

We have no affiliation with the suggested taxi services and the information provided is based on current available data at the time of writing this guide. Any suggestions for alternative please inform the accessibility point of contact.

Parking

There is parking near the venue. There are accessible parking spaces. The parking is less than 50 metres from the main entrance. Parking is not free.

There is a drop-off point at the main entrance. The drop-off point has a dropped kerb.

From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

The path is sloped.

Blue badge parking bays are available in the market place directly opposite Spanish Gallery. This is also the drop off area.

Additional parking including blue badge spaces is available on North Bondgate which is approximately 0.2 miles / 322 meters

Arrival

Path to main entrance

From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.

There is a permanent ramp.

The path is sloped.

Main entrance

The main entrance has level access.

There is a permanent ramp.

The door is 850mm wide.

The main door is side hung and automatic.

The main door is sliding and automatic.

There are two entrances into Spanish gallery one via the ramp and the other via a step. Both lead into a foyer area with two additional automatic sliding doors (side by side).

Getting around inside

We have high colour contrast between walls and doorframes.

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

Lift

We have 1 lift.

You can get a lift to all floors.

Lift to all floors

The lift door is 1800mm wide.

The lift is 1700mm wide. The lift is 2700mm deep.

The lift says the floor number at each floor.

The lift shows the floor number, at each floor.

Ticket/ information desk

Reception

From the main entrance to the desk, there is level access. The desk has a low section.

Lord Burns Reading Room

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 860mm wide, or more. The door is 860mm wide.

Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.

Access to the Lord Burns reading room is at the rear on the ground floor.

Gallery 01

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The route is 930mm wide, or more. The door is 140mm wide.

Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.

Automatic opening doors which open outwards from the gallery.

Gallery 02

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. There is a lift.

From the lift to this area, the route is 900mm wide, or more. The door is 1500mm wide.

Some display information is low, for wheelchair users.

Gallery 02 is located on Floor 2. There are 32 steps between the ground floor and floor 2. The gallery is accessible via the lift. Gallery access doors are automatic opening outwards fromthe gallery.

Gallery 03

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. There is a lift.

From the lift to this area, the route is 1200mm wide, or more. The door is 1500mm wide.

Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.

Gallery 03 is located on Floor 3. There are 14 steps between floor 2 and floor 3. The gallery is accessible via the lift. Gallery access doors are automatic opening inwards towards the gallery.

Gallery 04

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. There is a lift.

From the lift to this area, the route is 840mm wide, or more. The door is 1500mm wide.

Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.

Gallery 04 is located on Floor 4. There are 12 steps between floor 3 and floor 4. The gallery is accessible via the lift. Gallery access doors are automatic opening outards from the gallery. There are small narrow access points within this gallery.

Public toilet

Public Toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.

From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

The toilet door is 860mm wide.

The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the right.

There is 700mm at the side of the toilet. There is 1300mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 500mm high. The toilets have handrails.

There are also accessible toilets on the 2nd and 4th floors, accessible via lift.

Shop

Spanish Gallery Shop

From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The door is 850mm wide.

The route through the shop is 800mm wide, or more.

The shop is located on the ground floor at the main entrance. This is also the same area for the reception / information desk.

Place to eat and drink

Spanish Gallery Tapas Bar

From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. To get to a table, there are no steps.

There is no background music.

Wheat free

**Note the Spanish Gallery Tapas Bar is currently closed whilst the finishing touches are made ready for opening in 2022**

Further details will be available in the separate accessibility guide for the Spanish Gallery Tapas Bar.

Buggy Storage

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

Located on the ground floor located between the shop and the stairs is an area with free lockers and buggy storage (lockable).

Getting around outside

Customer care support

We provide wheelchairs. Wheelchairs are free.

We have a hearing loop in Welcome/Ticketing Desk within the shop on the ground floor.

Emergency evacuation procedures

We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.

Trained fire wardens are on site to assist members of the public during an evacuation. The lift can be used int he event of an emergency.

Customer care support

All staff have disability awareness training.