Original research by Theatre in Brighton
How six Brighton & Hove performance venues compare for step-free access, accessible toilets, hearing assistance and companion or access-assistant tickets.
Research date: 1 October 2026
Key findings
- 6 out of 6 venues surveyed publish step-free access to at least one performance space.
- 6 out of 6 venues publish an accessible toilet.
- 4 out of 6 venues explicitly publish a dedicated hearing-assistance system. The Old Market and New Venture Theatre both state that they do not currently have the relevant installed hearing systems.
- All six venues publish a route for customers who require a companion, personal assistant or access assistant, although eligibility and booking arrangements differ.
- Several venues have important limits within otherwise accessible buildings. Theatre Royal Brighton has no lift to its upper levels; the Brighton Centre says its East and West Balconies are not wheelchair accessible; and New Venture Theatre’s Theatre Upstairs is reached by four flights of stairs.
Important: This is a comparison of information published by the venues, not a physical access audit. Access arrangements may vary by event, seating layout and individual requirement. Visitors should confirm their needs directly with the venue before booking or travelling.
Brighton theatre accessibility at a glance
Theatre Royal Brighton: Step-free access is available to the Stalls, and the theatre has an accessible toilet. Hearing assistance is provided through Mobile Connect. Eligible customers can use ATG’s Access Membership for accessible seating and essential companion tickets. The main limitation is that there is no lift, so the Royal Circle, Second Circle and Gallery all require stairs.
Brighton Dome: Step-free access is available, together with accessible toilets. Hearing support varies by performance space: the Concert Hall uses Sennheiser infrared, while the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre use Mobile Connect. Brighton Dome also lists induction loops in the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. Complimentary access-assistant tickets are available through its Access Scheme.
Komedia Brighton: Both performance spaces can be reached by lift, and accessible toilets are available. Komedia Downstairs has a Sennheiser infrared hearing system. Customers who need the support of a companion can receive one free companion ticket. The venue advises wheelchair users to book in advance because the number of wheelchair users permitted on each floor is limited by its licence.
Brighton Centre: Step-free access is available through the main public areas, and the venue has accessible toilets, including a Changing Places facility. Hearing assistance is provided through Sennheiser Mobile Connect. Eligible customers can obtain a free companion ticket subject to supporting evidence. The East and West Balconies are not wheelchair accessible.
The Old Market: Step-free access is available to the Main House, and the accessible toilet can be reached by platform lift. The venue offers companion tickets for customers who would otherwise be unable to attend. The Old Market states that it does not currently have induction loops or Sennheiser hearing-assistance kits. Wheelchair positions can vary according to the event layout.
New Venture Theatre: The Studio Theatre has step-free access, and the accessible toilet is on the ground floor. Personal-assistant tickets can be arranged through the box office. The venue states that it does not have an induction loop, Sennheiser infrared system or Sennheiser radio-frequency system installed. Its Theatre Upstairs is not step-free and is reached by four flights of stairs.
What the figures mean
The headline result is encouraging: every venue in the survey publishes a step-free way to attend at least part of its programme. But the phrase accessible venue can hide major differences. A visitor who can attend the Stalls at Theatre Royal Brighton without using stairs cannot reach the Royal Circle, Second Circle or Gallery in the same way because the building has no lift. New Venture Theatre has step-free access to its Studio Theatre, but not to the Theatre Upstairs.
The same distinction applies to hearing support. Theatre Royal Brighton uses Mobile Connect. Brighton Dome uses Sennheiser infrared in the Concert Hall and Mobile Connect in the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre, while also listing induction loops in the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. Komedia publishes a Sennheiser infrared system in its downstairs performance space, and the Brighton Centre uses Sennheiser Mobile Connect. The Old Market and New Venture Theatre both explicitly state that they do not currently have the relevant installed hearing-assistance systems.
1. Theatre Royal Brighton
Theatre Royal Brighton publishes step-free access through its New Road box-office entrance and throughout the ground floor. The Stalls are step-free and the venue lists seven wheelchair positions. It also has a wheelchair-accessible toilet on the ground floor.
The main structural limitation is vertical access: there is no lift. ATG states that the Royal Circle is reached by 21 steps from the ground floor, the Second Circle by 40 steps and the Gallery by 71 steps in total. For D/deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences the theatre uses Mobile Connect, which can be used from any seat in the auditorium.
ATG’s Access Membership Scheme allows eligible customers to book accessible seats and essential companion tickets.
Source: ATG – Theatre Royal Brighton accessibility.
2. Brighton Dome
Brighton Dome publishes wheelchair-accessible foyers, ticket offices, bars and auditoria, together with accessible toilets and lifts. It also offers wheelchair viewing platforms for standing concerts in the Concert Hall.
Hearing support varies by space. The Concert Hall uses a Sennheiser infrared hearing-assistance system. The Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre use Mobile Connect, a Wi-Fi-based system that works through a smartphone or tablet. Brighton Dome also lists induction loops in the Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre.
Brighton Dome offers complimentary access-assistant tickets through its Access Scheme.
Source: Brighton Dome – Accessibility.
3. Komedia Brighton
Komedia states that both of its performance spaces can be reached by lift as well as stairs. Accessible toilets are provided for Komedia Downstairs and the Studio.
The downstairs performance space has a Sennheiser infrared hearing system. Komedia also gives customers who require the support of a companion one free companion ticket with their purchased ticket.
The venue advises wheelchair users to book in advance because its licence sets a maximum number of wheelchair users who can be accommodated on each floor.
Source: Komedia Brighton – Accessibility.
4. Brighton Centre
The Brighton Centre says its public areas are wheelchair accessible apart from the East and West Balconies. Its published facilities include accessible toilets, accessible lifts, accessible viewing platforms and a Changing Places facility.
The venue uses Sennheiser Mobile Connect for hearing assistance. Its published accessibility information also provides for a free companion ticket for eligible customers, subject to supporting evidence.
Source: Brighton Centre – Access.
5. The Old Market
The Old Market in Hove publishes step-free access from the street through the box office, bar and Main House. Its lower level, including the accessible toilet, can be reached by platform lift.
The venue offers companion tickets across its events to customers who would otherwise be unable to attend. It can accommodate wheelchair users at seated and standing events, although the exact number and position depend on the event layout.
The Old Market states that it does not currently have induction loops or Sennheiser kits. It says it can offer other adjustments and programmes assisted performances.
Source: The Old Market – Access.
6. New Venture Theatre
New Venture Theatre has two performance spaces with very different access arrangements. The Studio Theatre is on the ground floor and has step-free access. The bar and accessible toilet are also on the ground floor.
The Theatre Upstairs is reached by four flights of seven steps. The venue’s access document says the historic stone steps vary in depth and have handrails.
Customers who would be unable to attend without a personal assistant can contact the box office to arrange a personal-assistant ticket. The venue also states that it does not have an induction loop, Sennheiser infrared system or Sennheiser radio-frequency system installed in either theatre space.
Source: New Venture Theatre – Access Information.
Why ‘accessible’ is not a yes-or-no question
The survey shows why a single accessibility label can be misleading. Every venue here offers step-free access somewhere, yet three of the six publish clear restrictions affecting particular audience areas: Theatre Royal Brighton’s upper levels, the Brighton Centre’s East and West Balconies and New Venture Theatre’s Theatre Upstairs.
For visitors, the useful question is therefore not simply ‘Is the venue accessible?’ but ‘Is the specific performance space, route and seat I need accessible to me?’
Methodology
Theatre in Brighton reviewed the publicly available accessibility information of six established indoor performance venues in Brighton & Hove on 1 October 2026: Theatre Royal Brighton, Brighton Dome, Komedia Brighton, Brighton Centre, The Old Market and New Venture Theatre.
We recorded four comparable features:
- whether the venue publishes step-free access to at least one performance space;
- whether it publishes an accessible toilet;
- whether it explicitly publishes a dedicated hearing-assistance system;
- and whether it publishes a route for a companion, personal assistant or access-assistant ticket.
A ‘Yes’ means the feature is explicitly stated in the venue information reviewed. It does not represent an independent inspection. Where the venue itself states that a facility is not available, we record that as ‘No’. Where arrangements differ by room or performance, that is noted rather than reduced to a single venue-wide claim.
New Venture Theatre’s accessibility PDF is dated February 2023 and remained linked from the venue’s website when this research was carried out.
How to cite this research
Journalists, researchers, venues and community organisations may cite these findings with attribution to Theatre in Brighton and a link to this page. Please include the research date, 1 October 2026, because venue arrangements can change.