Access

Photo of Watershed Box Office

Access

At Watershed we want to be as welcoming, inclusive and accessible as we can

Our building is accessible, our staff are BSL trained, we have toilets for everyone and we run an accessible programme of screenings and events.

If you have a question please email us or call us on 0117 927 6444.


Visiting Watershed

Our main entrance and Box Office are both on the ground floor which is accessible via a ramped, electronically assisted entrance door.

There are two Blue Badge parking spaces to the rear of Watershed on Canons Road.

Guide dogs and hearing dogs are very welcome.

The first floor of Watershed is accessible via the lift from the main entrance and includes level access to all areas, including:

The ticket scanner at the Cinema entrance is wheelchair accessible.

All three cinemas have induction loops as do our Waterside 2 and Waterside 3 event spaces.

There are two accessible toilets (with baby changing facilities). One in the top foyer, beside our new toilets, or follow the signs for the Cinemas for the second accessible toilet on your left through the double doors before Cinema 1.

Our new toilets in the top foyer are for everyone - some of the fully enclosed cubicles have a sink and mirror in them, some are ambulant (a bit more spacious with supports such as grab rails) and there is also a large family room with plenty of room for a buggy. Just through the Café & Bar we still have separate male and female toilets.

AccessAble also offers a detailed look at the facilities we provide and parking options using pictures and in-depth descriptions.

For location, general transport and parking options for Watershed

Go to our visit page


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Further information

Ticket prices

Screenings after 16:00
£11.00 full (plus 12% booking fee*) / £8.50 concessions (plus 12% booking fee*).

Screenings before 16:00
£8.50 full (plus 12% booking fee*) / £5.00 concessions (plus 12% booking fee*).

Aged 24 or under
Any screening, any time for £5.00 (plus 12% booking fee*).

Refugees and asylum seekers
Any screening, any time for £5.00 (plus 12% booking fee*)

*Booking fee applies to online and phone booking only

Free tickets are available for Personal Assistants accompanying customers who are Deaf / Disabled.

Concessions apply to Full Time Students, Job Seekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance, 66+ who have retired, Equity and BECTU members and disabled people.

Where applicable please produce proof of eligibility when collecting a ticket.

Visual Story

A Visual Story of Watershed is available to help you to become familiar with the surroundings. 

Large print visitor information

An online and printable version of our visit information in large print is available.

Cinema Seat Widths

Cinema seats are roughly 46cm wide, with wooden armrests on either side of each seat that can’t be moved.

We can offer seats without armrests or bean bags as alternatives at the front of the cinema if that is more comfortable for you. Please just call our Box Office or book in-person to arrange.


Photo of three people talking at Watershed, one on a bean bag, and two lying down

Access Register

By registering your access requirements with us it will help us deliver the best possible experience for you each time you visit us, e.g. the most appropriate space, seat or equipment.

You can sign up to our Access Register online now, in person at our Box Office or by calling us on (0117) 927 5100.

Register online now

Accessible Programme

We offer Audio Description, Descriptive Subtitling, Relaxed Screenings and Masked & 25% Socially Distanced screenings on select films. When available these are also clearly marked on our Whats On Calendar.

A service for partially sighted or blind people. In addition to the film's main soundtrack playing through the cinema speakers, AD users listen to a narrator detailing what's happening on the screen at selected breaks during the film's dialogue, through a set of headphones. The headphones are personal and the user is still able to hear the film's sound through the cinema surround sound speakers. 

AD headphones are available to collect from Box Office prior to the film screening.

Upcoming AD screenings

Descriptive Subtitling (DS)

A service for our Deaf/deaf and hard of hearing customers that displays additional auditory information on the screen.

As well as showing the dialogue, Descriptive Subtitles provide information on other significant sounds. For example: when something is being sung; when a phone rings; when a door slams. This extra information allows customers using the subtitles to access the film more fully.

Upcoming DS screenings

Horizontal Cinema

Many people need to rest in public if they are to be part of our community. We have worked with local disabled artist Raquel Meseguer Zafe, to create Horizontal Cinema, which means you can request a bean bag or a yoga mat and cushion to watch any screening of any film.

Here’s how: 

  • Call the Box Office on 0117 927 5100
  • Ask to do Horizontal Cinema and specify whether you’d like a yoga mat or a bean bag

Find out more about horizontal cinema

Horizontal Cinema screenings are available on all of our films.

Find out What's on

Masked and Socially Distanced screenings (MSD)

We want to ensure that our most vulnerable audiences have the extra reassurance they need when attending one of our regular Masked and Socially Distanced Screenings.

With one screening every week, masked and socially distanced screenings are sold at 25% capacity and have every other row of seats blocked off. If you attend one of these screenings wearing a mask is mandatory. Our Box Office and Front of House staff will also be wearing mask at these screenings.

We ask audiences to seat themselves with two empty seats between parties to ensure social distancing, adverts and trailers will play and the lights will be down completely for the screening.

These screenings are open to everyone, but are part of our offer for audiences and customers who would rather they had more space and less people in the cinema screening. For this reason mask wearing is mandatory throughout the screening if you're not exempt.

Upcoming MSD Screenings

Relaxed Screenings (RS)

Our relaxed screenings are designed to benefit our customers with additional needs (such as people living with dementia, autism, or other neuro-diverse people and their personal assistants, friends and family) or anyone who wants to enjoy a film in a more relaxed, spacious environment.

Everyone is welcome. 

Find out more


Still from Samsara directed by Ron Fricke

Accessible Programme mailing list

For regular updates about forthcoming accessible screenings and events sign up to our Accessible Programme newsletter.

Sign up now