Hat Fair 2024 access info

Venue accessibility guide

• Abbey Gardens
• The Broadway
• Busket Yard
• Cathedral Outer Close
• High Street
• Jane Austen Lawn
• P & G Wells
• St John's Lawn
• St Maurice's Covert
• The Square

Abbey Gardens

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street.

Step-free routes to venue: Accessible routes are via public footpaths and pedestrian crossings.

Terrain: Flat tarmac paths around the gardens and lawn areas with stone curb edging. This stone edging does enable flat surface access to the lawns at designated areas.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets in Abbey Gardens.

Shade/Shelter: There are trees which provide some shade in areas of the gardens.

The Broadway

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street.

Step-free routes to venue: Accessible routes are via public footpaths and pedestrian crossings.

Terrain: Tarmac road surface with a camber on either side. The performance area on The Broadway will be closed to traffic.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets in Abbey Gardens.

Shade/Shelter: There is none as it is an open space.

Busket Yard (back of Winchester Bus Station)

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street or Friarsgate car park.

Step-free routes to venue: Accessible routes are via public footpaths and pedestrian crossings.

Terrain: The public entrance to Busket Yard is via a flat tarmac lane from The Broadway. The terrain of Busket Yard is flat, slightly ridged concrete.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets in Abbey Gardens.

Shade/Shelter: There is none as it is an open space.

Cathedral Outer Close

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street.

Step-free routes to venue: Accessible routes are via public footpaths and pedestrian crossings or via the Cathedral gardens.

Terrain: Flat paved pathways adjoined to flat grass areas. There will be trader stalls along a flat gravel pathway.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets in St Maurice's Covert and the Cathedral Visitor Centre.

Shade/Shelter: There are trees which provide some areas of shade.

High Street

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street or Tower Street.

Step-free routes to venue: Accessible routes are via public footpaths and pedestrian crossings.

Terrain: The High Street is fully paved and pedestrianised.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets behind St Maurice's Covert.

Shade/Shelter: St Maurice's Covert is a covered space.

Jane Austen Lawn

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street or Chesil Street Multi-storey.

Step-free routes to venue: Level step-free access to the Jane Austen Lawn from the north side of College Street. There are two steps up at the entrance to the garden but performances can be viewed from the footpath.

Terrain: The area is a hard mud/lawn area, with some slightly uneven surfaces.

Nearest accessible toilet: The nearest accessible toilet is in Winchester Cathedral Cafe, open daily 9.30am-5.00pm.

Seating: There is no seating in the Jane Austen Garden.

Shade/Shelter: There is limited shade provided by trees and a folly on the lawn.

P & G Wells

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street or Chesil Street Multi-storey.

Step-free routes to venue: Level step-free access to the bookshop from the south side of College Street. There is a step up at the entrance to the bookshop but a ramp is available. The ground floor of the bookshop is then accessible, but the first floor is up a flight of stairs. There is no lift to the first floor.

Terrain: Level paving on footpath outside the bookshop along the south side of College Street. Wooden floors inside the bookshop with floor mats.

Nearest accessible toilet: The nearest accessible toilet is in Winchester Cathedral Cafe, open daily 9.30am-5.00pm.

Seating: There is some limited seating available in the bookshop on request.

Shade/Shelter: This is an indoor venue.

St John's Lawn

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street or Chesil Street Multi-storey.

Step-free routes to venue: There is level, step-free access to the courtyard of St John's Almshouses North from the north pavement of High Street at the bottom end of The Broadway (just before the statue of King Alfred).

Terrain: Level paving on footpath and level tarmac paths around grass lawn areas.

Nearest accessible toilet: There is an accessible toilet nearby in Abbey Gardens. Toilet is open 8am – 9pm. The toilet can be accessed with a RADAR key. Alternatively, keys can be purchased from the Tourist Office.

Seating: There are plenty of park benches located within the lawn of St John's Almshouses North.

Shade/Shelter: There is limited shade provided by trees on the lawn.

St Maurice's Covert

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street car park. 

Step-free routes to venue: Access from the high street is level and paved. 

Terrain: Flat paving.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets immediately behind St Maurice’s Covert.

Shade/Shelter: St Maurice’s Covert is a covered space.

The Square

Parking: The nearest car park is Colebrook Street.

Step-free routes to venue: Accessible routes are via public footpaths and pedestrian crossings or via the Cathedral gardens.

Terrain: Flat tarmac road surface and flat paved areas. The performance area on The Square will be closed to traffic.

Nearest accessible toilet: There are public toilets in St Maurice’s Covert and the Cathedral Visitor Centre.

Shade/Shelter: There is none as it is an open space.

If you require any further assistance to make your Hat Fair experience accessible and enjoyable, please contact us in advance via boxoffice@playtothecrowd.co.uk or call 01962 840 440 and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.