Accessibility at Pride is very important to us.
We’re committed to accessibility at the festival, each year we work to improve provisions to make Pride Day accessible for all.
Pride Day is held on Durdham Downs which is a grassed area of parkland in Clifton. This year we’ve increased the size our the viewing platforms plus moved the trackway matting and the access gate further away from the main stage to try to alleviate some of the crowd density issues. You can find more information about the measures we have put in place to make the event as accessible as possible below.
Any questions, specific access requirements, concerns or general feedback email us on access@bristolpride.co.uk we aim to get back to you within 5 working days.
With thanks to University of Bristol or Access Partner & The National Lottery Community Fund
If you require extra support for Bristol Pride Day we would like to match your wristband with a free one for your personal assistant or carer. Once you have purchased your wristband, please complete this form and upload the relevant documents.
If you require a PA ticket for any events during the Pride fortnight please email access@bristolpride.co.uk to check on availability.
The Downs is a grassed area of parkland.
The whole site has level access however, some areas of the Downs have slight slopes, ruts and bumps. If you need any help or support with these areas please speak to one of our accessibility champions.
We have an access gate that has a trackway road which leads to the Main Stage viewing platform via Community tent and the Cabaret Stage viewing platform.
There are no doors or gates to open to enter the site or around the festival apart from the portaloos, there are accessible toilets at each toilet block accessed by radar key locks, and a mobiloo located by the community area.
Wooden Picnic benches for additional seating will be available across the festival, and many of these are wheelchair friendly.
SHUTTLE BUS
There will be a dedicated Shuttle Bus service running throughout Pride Day from Millennium Square and The Downs.
Shuttle buses are wheelchair accessible, there will be teams available on the ground that will be able to assist. There will be a priority queue for Pride goers with access needs just make your way to the front and speak to the coordinating member of staff.
The shuttle bus is free for wristband holders or the standard First Bus fare.
BY BUS
We are offering free travel on First Bus with a Pride Supporter Wristband.
You can take the numbers 1,2, 3 or 4 bus to Pride on The Downs. The best stops to use are College Green (P1) or The Cenotaph in City Centre (C10). For the 1 and 2 route map and times click here. For the 3 and 4 route map and times click here.
You can also catch the 3 or the 4 from Union street if you want to watch the Parade head off and then catch the bus. If you want to go straight from the train station to The Downs, catch the 1 or 2 from Temple Gate, the road outside Temple Meads station entrance (T4).
You can also catch buses 1,2,3 or 4 from outside Clifton Down Shopping centre if you have taken the train to Clifton Down Station.
BY TRAIN
The main train station to come into is Bristol Temple Meads and the closest train station to the festival is Clifton Down (a line runs from Bristol Temple Meads).
There is no general on-site parking at Bristol Pride, but all the roads around the Downs offer free parking.
Blue badge holders can park in our new accessible car park area next to our access gate, which can also be used as a drop off point. This is a grassed area. If you need a spot or need access to the drop off point, please email access@bristolpride.co.uk to secure your place, we will then collate a list for the traffic team.
For the Parade March, there are two car parks very close to the shuttle bus pick up point at the Amphitheatre, both have lifts and disabled parking bays – Millennium Square and Britannia Parking. Our Shuttle busses are wheelchair accessible and there are teams on the ground to support you.
The site will be open from midday.
We have an access gate located by our accessible parking area close to our main gate. This gate has a trackway road to the Main Stage viewing platform via the Community tent and the Cabaret Stage viewing platform. There is also a dedicated access lane at our main entrance.
Access Champions will be located at the gates, the access platforms and at the info point. These volunteers can help with questions that you might have or information about the festival.
Pride is a donation entry event so you do not need a ticket for your PA or carer. You will be able to donate on either the access gate or the main gate. If you have purchased a supporter wristband you can also have this scanned for entry at either gate. We can match your supporter wristband with a free one for your PA or carer, please fill out the form here.
Accessibility Champions are Pride volunteers who are there to support Pride goers with access needs. They will be wearing bright pink hi-vis vests which states ACCESS CHAMPION on them, as well as access lanyards. They will be located at the main gate, accessibility gate, the viewing platforms at Main Stage and Cabaret Stage as well as at the info point and roaming around the festival. They are here to help you so don’t be afraid to say hello.
We are providing raised platformed viewing areas for the Main Stage and Cabaret Stage for wheelchair users or those with restricted mobility. You do not need a separate wristband to use them.
There will be a large screen by Main Stage and Cabaret Stage for increased visibility of the performances, with BSL inset onto the screen.
An accessible toilet fitted with a radar lock is located at each viewing platform.
Viewing platforms are managed by our Access Champions and supported by our security team.
Stages without viewing platforms will have accessible viewing areas which will be small areas cordoned off near the BSL interpreter.
There is a Mobiloo onsite located on the trackway route close to the Community tent. A Mobiloo is a mobile accessible toilet with an adult-sized changing bench, a hoist and a friendly attendant.
Every toilet block around the site and both viewing platforms have accessible toilets. These will be fitted with a radar lock to keep them clean and free for use for disabled people, so please remember to bring yours with you. Our Access Champions will have spares and keys will also be available to purchase from the Info Tent.
All our bars offer sections with lowered counters and a range of sugar free drinks and free drinking water is available.
We have a welfare tent onsite if you need a chill-out zone or shade. It will be clearly marked on the site maps that will be erected around the site. The map will also be in the centre of the Festival Guide.
There are medical teams onsite as well as an ambulance. We supply a fridge for medical safe storage in the medics/first aid tent. Please bring your medication in a clearly labelled container.
The charity Diverse UK is joining us again this year with their Sensory Calm Space. They aim to provide a safe, low-level stimulation and recalibration zone for those on the Autistic Spectrum or for those who need a place to have a moment of calm, rather than having to leave the festival. Diverse is a charity that exists to provide social contact for people who have a diagnosis of or identify as Autistic. Diverse is about helping people with autism to develop social networks and self-confidence using their interests and ultimately reducing social isolation. The small tent is located next to medics & welfare). Please keep an eye out for the logo above and feel free to talk to a member of staff about what they do across Bristol, South Gloucester, Bath and North Somerset.
Service and support animals are welcome at Pride Day, they must be kept on a lead at all times and please pick up after them and bring along any food they need and water bowl for them too. We strongly advise that people don’t bring pet dogs but they aren’t banned.
There will be free water refill points onsite.
Please note that shade is limited on the site and it can get very hot and crowded.
There will be large screens with live feeds from the main stage and cabaret stage for increased visibility of the performances, as well as BSL interpreters inset, these will be visible from the viewing platforms.
The rest of the stages are smaller and will have BSL interpreters with cordoned off viewing areas.
The Main Stage, Cabaret Stage, Uplift Stage and Circus Tent will have BSL interpreters on throughout the day.
There will be some access champions who know BSL. These volunteers can help with questions that you might have or information about the festival. Our volunteers who know BSL will have BSL lanyards.
As requested we have marked a designated deaf meeting point near the info point by the main gates to help meet others.
There will be no strobe lighting at Pride Day.
Charging for wheelchairs and other mobility aids will be available at the Information tent next to the main gate.
The parade will gather in Castle Park, the end near the band stand, before heading off to Lloyds Amphitheatre and We the Curious’ Millennium Square.
The route is 2 miles long and will take about 1 hour to complete. We have tried to reduce the amount of hills we take (not easy in Bristol) though there is a hill incline on Union Street so some may wish to join the parade at the other end of Castle Park, by Wine Street.
Water is not provided on the route however there is a refill fountain on Millennium Square at the end of the parade and many outlets in Bristol participate in the Refill scheme if you have an empty bottle you can fill up with.
There are a couple of accessible toilets along the route – see this map for details.
If you want to be dropped off at Castle Park please be aware there are limited stopping spaces but the best postcode for the site is BS1 3XE.
At the end of the Parade there are free shuttle busses ready to take people up to the downs, all the buses are accessible however queues can be busy at times, especially when the parade first arrives. We offer priority access for our access customers so make your way to the front of the queue and someone from First Bus or security will be able to assist you on to the next bus.
Pride Fortnight is a full of fantastic events using venues across the city. We want to make sure you have as much information as possible to ensure you are able to access these events. We have collated access information from all of the venues we are working with and have on its own page which you can access via the button below.
