Hi everyone, I'm Luke, a visually impaired blogger
from Bradford. I have a hereditary eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa.
This means that I also have from tunnel vision, night blindness and floaters,
but it doesn't stop me from doing the things that I love.
I love meeting up with my Friends and doing something fun,
but as someone who's on a low income, it can become incredibly expensive. So, I
thought I’d tell you five of my favourite places that offer a concessionary
ticket for disabled people as they're a great way to save a little bit of
money.
What is a Concessionary Ticket?
A
concessionary ticket is offered to a disabled person to enable them to enjoy
the same experience as everyone else. It's usually offered free or at a
significant discount so that they can bring someone with them if they require
support.
Manchester Arena
I
might not be able to see properly, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with my
hearing as I love listening to live music. Luckily the Manchester arena has a
great selection of events as well as being totally accessible. Here are the
access features that it has:
- A concessionary ticket
- Disabled parking
- Lift access from both the disabled car park and
Manchester Victoria station
- A box office with a lower counter
- A designated wheelchair area
- A hearing loop system
- Disabled toilets all throughout the arena
To
get a concessionary ticket, you need to fill out an application form before
booking. The only trouble I had was booking a ticket. Their accessibility booking
line is just an answering machine service, but they do ring you back.
Vue Cinemas
I
love visiting the cinema and watching the latest releases, even though I can’t
actually see most of the screen, I can still follow along with the story. Yes,
I could use an Audio Description headset, but they tend to get on my nerves as
they usually don’t work properly. To get a concessionary ticket, you have to
show your CEA card when booking your ticket
or entering the number on the card in the promotion box if you are booking
online.
Hollywood Bowl.
I
hadn’t been bowling since I was a young teenager. However, when I went a couple
of weeks ago, I had an amazing time, even though I did nearly break one of
their bumpers! Unfortunately, their concessionary ticket terms are a little bit
strange. You can only get one before 6pm on a weekday, except during the
February, October and December school holidays. They do however have the
following facilities:
- Level access at all their locations
- Disabled toilets
- Moveable ramps for getting on to the lines
- Ramps to help you push the ball during the game
To
get a Concessionary Ticket, all you have to do is ask when booking.
Sea Life Centre Scarborough
I
don’t know why, but I absolutely love sea creatures, especially dolphins, penguins
and seals. This is why I love visiting any kind of sea life centre. Luckily the
one in Scarborough is accessible, because as well as offering a concessionary ticket
they have these facilities:
- A totally accessible route around their centre
- Disabled toilets
- A lift to their restaurant and penguin island on
the top floor
To
get a Concessionary Ticket, all you have to do is show your proof of
eligibility when booking.
Emmerdale Studio Experience
I
was very kindly invited to come and visit the studio experience when they first
opened, and I had an absolute blast. Yes, quite a lot of it was visual, but
parts of it like the plane crash simulation was amazing. Also, eating fish and chips
in The Woolpack after the tour was brilliant. I was also really surprised to
learn that it was totally accessible and have the following:
- Concessionary ticket free of charge
- Disabled toilets
- An accessible tour route for wheelchair users
To
get a concessionary ticket, you can ask when making a booking.
There
are a lot of other places that offer a concessionary ticket for disabled people,
but I just thought I’d tell you my favourites. Here is my blog, Luke Sam Sowden, if you’d like to
follow what I get up to!
What
are some of your favourite places that offer a concessionary ticket? Where do
you like to go and visit? Let us know in the comments below!
