Hall, Caff and Upper Hall accessibility
Our main dining Hall, known simply as Hall, is in the northwest corner of Cloister Court. Student food is served from the 'Caff' (canteen). Both are on the first floor, but have step free access via a lift. The Upper Hall is above the Caff and is also accessible via the lift.
If you are a conference guest, you can visit the conference room information for the Hall or Upper Hall.
You can also view a virtual 360-degree or a .
Location
The entrance is positioned in the passageway connecting First Court and Cloister Court. The Hall and Caff are on the first floor. Upper Hall is on the second floor above Caff.
Entrance access
The dining Hall is accessed via a set of stairs to the first floor, or step free via a lift. The Caff is on the same floor, to the left as you come up the stairs and also has step free access. The Upper Hall is on the second floor above Hall, on the left as you exit the lift and also has step free access.
The toilets, including the accessible toilets, are 5 steps up from the landing outside Hall. The lift also stops on this level. Note that this level is signposted as the 'second' floor in the lift, even though it is only a few steps up from Hall. It is also possible to access the Alcock Room from this level, with one step into the room. The second floor proper is signposted in the lift as the third floor.
Entrances and doors: The main entrance from Cloister Court is through two sets of double doors which are clearly signed and stand out visually from their surroundings. The main doors open inward (push), and they are double-width and heavy. The width of the door opening measures 108cm. There is a second set of double doors, before the stairs, to the right as your enter. These doors are also manual and heavy, however, they are mostly propped open. The lift is to the left of the second pair of doors.
The entrance to the Hall is step free from the lift, there are no doors. The there is an uneven surface at the Hall entrance due to centuries of footfall.
On exiting the lift on the first floor, there are two entrances to the Caff. There is a single, manual door almost immediately, on the left. Approximately 2m further on from this door is a set of double doors with automatic, push pad access.
The entrance to the Upper Hall is step free from the lift. The corridor outside the room is wide enough to allow wheelchair users to pass. The door opening is over 75cm. The doors are not push pad activated. From the Upper Hall, there is a door to the gallery overlooking the main Hall. This door has a width of 70cm, is heavy and opens away from you.
Stairs: The stairs to the first floor are approximately 4m from the entrance. There are 14 steps. While the steps meet recommended height and depth standards, they lack clear markings. Handrails, positioned at the recommended height and extending horizontally beyond the first and last steps, are available on both sides and are easy to grip. The lighting level at the steps is good.
The stairs to the second floor are located to the right of the Hall. There are five steps to reach the toilets. To continue to the Upper Hall on the second floor, there are over 15 steps which are between the recommended height and depth standards, although they lack clear markings. The first five steps have no handrail. Following that, there is a handrail at the recommended height on the right going up. The handrail is easy to grip but does not extend horizontally beyond the first and last steps. The lighting level is good.
Lift: The lift, located to the right upon entrance and to the left of the stairs, is approximately 5m from the entrance. It serves floors G, 1, 2, as well as the landing with the toilets. It has a weight limit of 630kg. Clear signage indicating facilities on each floor is provided in lift lobby landings, and there is a 150cm x 150cm level space in front of the lift. The lift offers a clear door width of 90cm and measures 110cm x 142cm. It features separate entry and exit doors but lacks a mirror and floor services list. While the lift doors contrast visually with lobby walls, external controls are poorly contrasted with the control plate and wall. However, it includes visual and audible floor indicators, internal controls within accessible height ranges, Braille and tactile markings, and good lighting levels.
Corridors: Walkways feature a combination of wood and vinyl flooring. Some areas have shiny flooring, which may cause glare or appear slippery to some people. However, there is generally good colour contrast between the walls and floors throughout. Bench seating is available at regular intervals, and the lighting levels are good.
Inside the rooms
Note that although there is plenty of turning space on the landing, in the Caff and in the Hall, this area can become busy which restricts the available space.
Hall: The seating area for meals is within the dining Hall, directly opposite the Caff exit across the corridor. There is ample room for wheelchair users to manoeuvre, and most tables are accessible. The height from the floor to the underside of dining tables ranges from 68cm to 72cm. None of the tables or chairs are permanently fixed, and no chairs have armrests on both sides. There are tables available for placing food during events at a height of 92cm. The flooring is wood, and the lighting levels are good. This area does not play background music and there is a fixed hearing loop system.
Caff: Hot and cold food is served canteen style in the Caff. There is a service counter with a height of 85cm without a clear knee recess. There is also a self-service counter at the same height. Staff can bring food and drinks to the tables in the Hall on request. Menus are clearly written on menu boards and wall menus and are presented in contrasting colours. Drinking straws are available but adapted cups and cutlery are not available. Takeaway cups are not available. The Caff has a laminate floor. Payment is at the counter near the exit via an adjustable self-service touchscreen. It does not have a moveable card machine for payment. The lighting level is good. This area does not play background music and there is no hearing loop.
Upper Hall: Signage for the room is on or near the door. There is a fixed hearing assistance system in this room but not a visual fire alarm beacon. The room does not have fixed furniture. The clear floor space beneath tables is 72cm, and a height-adjustable table or bench is not available. There are no chairs with armrests on both sides. However, the room has an unobstructed minimum turning space of 150cm x 150cm. The floor coverings are uneven, and electric wire hatches in the floor may pose a trip hazard.
Closest toilets
For detailed information about the facilities in each accessible toilet, see Accessible toilets.
The closest accessible toilet can be found on the second floor, up five steps from the Hall or via the lift. The accessible toilet is opposite you on exiting the lift.
The closest standard toilet is also at this level.
