Access

Information for customers with disabilities

A PDF version of this information can be downloaded HERE

The Festival takes place outdoors within 36 acres of grassed parkland and attracts approximately 12,000 people.  Weather conditions will affect the overall state of the ground.  This is particularly important for wheelchair users and those with mobility problems to be aware of as paths are limited. There is a concrete path leading from the site’s main entrance to the entrance of the main arena. A temporary path will be provided from the arena entrance to the centre of the arena.    

 

This page is intended to provide you with all the information you require to get the most from your visit.  

 

The following images are of the main site. The pictures are taken on Thursday morning before the majority of the audience arrive, the site is usually a lot busier. 

 

Should you need any further information please contact the Box Office at Tickets@cambridge.gov.uk. To help the organisers monitor the level of facilities provided, please advise the Box Office if you have a disability.  

 

Facilities include: drop-off area for camping equipment; accessible public transport at Cambridge bus or rail stations, wheelchair accessible minibus between all sites; wheelchair accessible toilets; limited number of accessible viewing spaces for all stages; manual wheelchair loan service (pre-booking required), information available to download and in large print, Braille or audio CD; Mobile Changing Space.

 

This information leaflet is available to download from the Festival’s website as a word doc or PDF

If you require information emailed to you in Word format, please email Tickets@cambridge.gov.uk before 6th July. If you require information in Braille please contact the Box Office before 14th June to enable copies to be produced. They will be reserved for collection on arrival at the site Box Office.  A reference Braille and audio CD copy will be held at all times at the Festival’s Information and Official Merchandise shop in the main arena. 

 

On arrival at the Cherry Hinton Hall Box Office, a lowered counter and an induction loop service is provided. Disabled customers will also be offered an accessible personalised service if required.

 

If you require more than one personal assistant ticket please contact us at tickets@cambridge.gov.uk to arrange this for you. There will be no extra charge for bringing an additional personal assistant. If you require a different personal assistant for different days of the festival, please email tickets@cambridge.gov.uk to discuss.

 

All stewards wearing "STAFF" T shirts will have been briefed on our facilities for people with disabilities. There are designated stewards for disabled customers, driving accessible minibuses and working at the disabled viewing areas. Please ask stewards for any help or advice you may need over the weekend.  

 

Please use public transport where possible. 

 

Customers attending the Festival can catch the regualr bus between Cambridge City Centre (Emmanuel Street, Stop E2 for Citi 3 or Stop E3 for Citi 2) or Cambridge Rail Station (Stop 2, catch Citi 3) and Cherry Hinton Hall, (the Cambridge Folk Festival site). Buses run every 10 minutes and stop near to the Festival and cost £2 per journey. 

 

Citi buses are all wheelchair accessible.

 

Special free buses operate daily between Coldham's Common and Cherry Hinton Hall and also the car park (Netherhall) and Cherry Hinton Hall, from 09:00 to 01:00 (09:45am on Thursday). 

 

Citi buses and special buses are both operated by Stagecoach. See

Stagecoach's Festival leaflet or go to www.stagecoachbus.com

 

The designated taxi drop off and collection location at Cherry Hinton Hall is the BP petrol station, which is located 250m from the main entrance to the Festival. 

 

Taxis may drop off and collect from the Box Office at Coldham’s Common. 

 

Both campsites will open at 10:00 on 24th July. Blue Badge holders can drive immediately to the drop-off area at Gate 1 after the site opens at 10:00. Early access for campers can be found below.

 

 

A wheelchair accessible minibus is available for travelling to/from the disabled car park to the Cherry Hinton Hall Site. 

 

St Bede’s School is no longer used as a car park.

 

Parking for disabled customers is recommended at Netherhall School Upper Playing Field. A wheelchair accessible minibus is available for travelling to/from Netherhall School Upper Playing Field. 

 

Please drive straight ahead on entering the site and you will be directed to the accessible parking and minibus. Please display blue badge clearly. If you have an access issue but do not have a blue badge speak to the steward on entering the site.

 

Disabled customers who chose to park at Netherhall Lower School should note that it is 350m from the exit of the car park to entrance to Cherry Hinton Hall and that no transport is available to carry customers and vehicles will not be allowed to exit the car park, until the end of the day.  

 

The ground at Coldham’s Common can be uneven. Vehicles including caravans and camper vans are allowed on this site. Cars may be left alongside tents. A wheelchair accessible minibus is available for travelling to/from Cherry Hinton Hall.  

 

Wheelchair users with their own transport will be able to drive daily to Netherhall Lower School.  Disabled customers who chose to park at Netherhall Lower School should note that it is 350m from the exit of the car park to entrance to Cherry Hinton Hall and that no transport is available to carry customers and vehicles will not be allowed to exit the car park, until the end of the day.  

 

Should you need to take your vehicle on site to unload camping equipment, Blue Badge holders may apply for a Disabled Persons Unloading pass from Tickets@cambridge.gov.uk.  Please state your reasons for requesting access at the time of application together with you name, mobile number and vehicle registration.

 

This pass allows access via the main site entrance (Gate 2), to the campsite and includes early access on Thursday 07:30 to 09:30, on the understanding that vehicles must be removed by 09:30. There is no access permitted on Thursday between 09:30 and 11:00. Access with this pass is also permitted Monday 08:00 to 11:00. There will be no access without a valid pass. 

 

These passes are limited, and allocation will be prioritised according to need. Passes must be requested by 1st July.

 

Customers with a Disabled Persons Unloading pass must follow steward's directions when entering the site, drive at walking pace and give way to pedestrians. Please unload your car as quickly as possible (within 30 minutes) and remove your car to allow others access.  No vehicles will be allowed to drive on the grass and should remain on the hard standing. Please drop off and unload only and do not erect your tent before removing your vehicle. On departure, please pack up all equipment ready for loading before bringing your vehicle on site.

 

We encourage trailer tent users to go to Coldham’s Common, where it is possible to keep your car near to your tent. At Cherry Hinton Hall, if you trailer tent is too large to be unhitched and pushed from the drop off area into the campsite, you may apply for a Trailer Tent Pass to gain access via the main entrance to Cherry Hinton Hall. Passes are limited and applications must be made in advance. There will be no access without a valid pass.  Access will be from 07:30 – 09:30 on Thursday 2nd only. There is no access permitted on Thursday between 09:30 and 11:00. Please unhitch your trailer and unload your car as quickly as possible (within 10 minutes) and remove your car to allow others access. This pass will allow access to the hard-standing areas only. You may not drive on the grass. When departing please pack all your equipment and bring it to the hard standing before collecting your car. Please apply to tickets@cambridge.gov.uk including your names, mobile number and vehicle registration. 

 

1. A designated wheelchair accessible minibus will be available to travel to Cherry Hinton Hall from, Netherhall Upper School or Coldham’s Common between 10:00 and 01:00. These will run from Cherry Hinton Hall on the hour and from Coldham’s Common on the half hour. Please contact the steward at the car park or site HQ if you have a problem.

 

2. A regular free shuttle service also operates between Cherry Hinton Hall, Netherhall Upper School and Coldham’s Common. These are wheelchair accessible buses and are managed by Stagecoach. If you require more information, go to www.stagecoachbus.com 

 

Caravan/Camper van tickets for Cherry Hinton Hall site are only available to disabled customers.  There is a designated area for caravans/camper vans located alongside the site’s boundary with Cherry Hinton Road. Access will be from 07:30 – 09:30 on Thursday 2nd. There is no access permitted on Thursday between 09:30 and 11:00. Should you need to use this facility you must contact the Box Office and purchase a Full Festival Ticket and a Cherry Hinton caravan/camper van ticket.  Tickets are limited and available on a first come first served basis. Towing vehicles may not be left alongside caravans unless by prior agreement in advance of the Festival.    

 

In the interests of everyone’s safety it is not possible to mix vehicles and tents at Cherry Hinton Hall. Should you need to use this facility but also wish to be near to friends camping in tents, those in tents will need to pitch their tents near to the designated area for caravans/camper vans.  

 

Wheelchair accessible toilets are located at each toilet point at the festival:

 

• Just within the entrance to the main Cherry Hinton Hall site, on the far-left side when facing the Box Office.  

 

• Within the main toilet block in the centre of the campsite in front of the Hall.

• In front of the Sessions Café 

• Campsite to the left of the entrance near the Children’s

 

• In the far-right corner of the campsite beside the Robin Hood emergency exit.

 

 

• To the right of the arena entrance in front of Stage 2. 

• At Stage 2 disabled viewing area.

• At the Stage 1 disabled viewing area.

• In the main toilet block to the left of Stage 1.

 

• Just within the entrance to the site on the left, within the main toilet block.

• In the centre of the campsite within the main toilet block

• On the front right-hand corner of the campsite

 

• Netherhall Upper and Lower School Car Parks.

 

We regret that it is not currently possible to provide showers at Cherry Hinton Hall.  

 

Wheelchair accessible showers are available at Cherry Hinton Village Centre, Colville Road, which is located halfway down Cherry Hinton High Street on the right-hand side. If you require accessible transport to reach this facility, please arrange this with a steward for disabled people the previous day. There is also a separate room which conforms to the “Changing Spaces” standards for disabled users. Its facilities include: "H" frame ceiling mounted track mounted disabled hoist, electronic height adjustable changing bed, large buttons and Braille on the shower controls and disabled fittings on the sinks and WC.  Showers are open Friday to Sunday 8am- 1pm. There is a £3.50 charge. 

 

Wheelchair accessible Festival showers were introduced at Coldham’s Common Campsite in 2017. If you want to use this facility, please speak to the stewards on arrival and they can point you in the direction of the accessible camping area.

 

A limited number of manual wheelchairs will be available should you experience difficulties over the weekend, and also a limited number of 13amp power sockets will be available for battery recharging.  This service is being provided in collaboration with Cambridge Shopmobility and will be located on the concrete path in front of Cherry Hinton Hall, to the right of the entrance to main arena. This service will be staffed between the following times:  

 

Thursday 15:30-17:30 & 21:00-23:00

Friday  09:00-11:00, 14:00-17:00 & 22:00-24:00

Saturday 09:00-11:00, 14:00-17:00 & 22:00-24:00

Sunday 09:00-11:00, 14:00-17:00 & 22:00-24:00

Monday    09:00-11:00    

 

Please note that proof of identity will be required.  Wheelchairs will not be allowed off the site.  Advance booking is advisable. For booking please contact Julia Manley julialmanley@yahoo.com.

 

Designated stewarded viewing areas are provided for disabled people at all stages. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  It may be necessary to limit people who accompany people with disabilities should viewing areas become crowded. 

 

Stage 1 - There is a covered, raised viewing platform with a ramp leading up to it, to the right when facing the stage.  Access is via a pathway running from the HQ Information & Lost Children’s point in the main arena to the right-hand corner of the marquee. 

 

Stage 2 - There is a covered raised viewing platform accessible via a pathway to the left of the back-stage entrance. 

 

Club Tent - There is a covered viewing area located behind the sound desk.  Access is via a pathway between the left of the marquee and the adjoining caterers.

 

Whilst strobe lights are not used, Stage 1 and Stage 2 do feature bright and flashing lights, similar to those found at rock concerts.

 

In the event of discovering any minor incident anywhere on the site, please inform your nearest steward (wearing a STAFF t-shirt) or a security person (one at each entrance gate).  These staff will know what action to take.

 

If it is necessary to evacuate certain area(s), this will be announced over the PA systems in the performing areas, bars, catering areas, Traders Marquee, or in the case of the camping area by loud hailers.

 

If the incident is in the main inner arena, please collect any personal belongings and then follow stewards' instructions. If, however, the nature of the emergency is apparent, and the danger is immediate follow the instructions from stewards but leave your belongings.

 

N.B. Disabled customers should note that if they require assistance the stewards will automatically help them move across or leave the site. 

 

To camp you must purchase a Full Festival ticket and sufficient Camping tickets for your size tent for the campsite of your choice. One camping ticket will entitle you to a space large enough for a 2/3 berth tent space, max size 4.5m x 3.5m inc guy ropes, measured from the longest to the widest point.  For safety please allow space around your tent; 2m for small and 5m for large tents. Awnings or canopies cannot link tents or be attached to trees. Please familiarise yourself with your nearest fire point. Use the BBQ areas provided as your own open fires are not permitted. Flares, oil burning lamps or sky lanterns are not allowed. Please keep your valuables with you at all times and do not leave lying around or in your tent. Cambridge City Council cannot accept responsibility for any losses.

 

Only assistance dogs will be allowed at the event.