Access at The Full Shebang

BACK TO TFS 2025
1. Welcome

We aim for The Full Shebang to be welcoming and accessible to everyone. We know we still have work to do. But we want to work with, and learn from, blind and visually impaired, D/deaf, autistic, wheelchair users, and other disabled people, to ensure we keep on improving and making provisions to remove as many barriers as possible stopping people from experiencing our events.

The Full Shebang offers a wide range of opportunities for people to enjoy and experience the arts and we want this to be reflected by the diverse range of people that take part.

2. Contact details

On the day, we have Access Ambassadors to support with access-related queries and to support anyone with access needs at the festival.

If you would like to contact us ahead of the festival to discuss access provisions, you can email us. The email is: access@firstart.org.uk. Alternatively, you can message or call Monday – Friday 10am – 4.30pm) on 07386 667981.

We aim to get back to your access-related queries within 3-4 working days.

3. Download link

A Word file with all access information can be downloaded here.

4. Site Description

The festival is based around Mansfield Town Centre.

Surfaces are a mix of hard standing, permanent roads, and grass in the Memorial Garden.

There are eight main locations at the festival. The seven outdoor locations are Market Place, West Gate, and Buttercross (outside Mansfield Central Library), Memorial Garden (behind the Old Town Hall), Queen Street and Regent Street.

The indoor spaces are Four Seasons Shopping Centre and Mansfield Central Library.

All sites are low level-access, and the ground is relatively smooth and flat although there is some street furniture and pavement signs along West Gate.  There are accessible lifts at Mansfield Central Library.

5. Access facilities
Accessible viewing areas

In Market Place and Buttercross we will provide accessible viewing areas. We will have stewards placed in each area to assist anyone with access-requirements and ensure they can view the performance.

Accessible Toilets

An AccessoLoo will be available in the Market Place. This is a fully accessible toilet including a hoist.

There are Changing Places facilities in Four Seasons Shopping Centre and Mansfield Museum during opening hours. Please be aware that a fob is required to access these facilities. Please speak to a member of staff in Four Seasons or at the museum for assistance.

There are also accessible toilets in Four Seasons Shopping Centre, the bus and railway stations.

Access Ambassadors

We will have a team of Access Ambassadors on site to welcome and support anyone with an access-related queries or needs. The Access Ambassadors will be at the Access Hub in the Market Place.

Induction Hearing Loop

We have a portable induction hearing loop at the Access Hub on the Market Place and the Festival Info Point, situated on West Gate.

Quiet Zone

The Quiet Zone is specifically designed to give people a place to go to escape the hustle and bustle of the festival if it all gets too much.

This is situated in the Mansfield Central Library on the first floor. This will be signposted.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones / Ear Defenders

We have a limited number of noise-cancelling headphones to use. If you would like to borrow a pair, please go to the Access Ambassadors hub or the Quiet Zone in the library.

Access to performances
QR codes

QR codes are in the Festival Guide to ensure people can access content online. There will also be QR codes at points around the festival site.

Non-verbal

Many of the shows are non-verbal. These will be listed in the Festival Guide (and large print accessible Festival Guide), which will be available a month before the event.

Printed guides are available on the day from stewards and at the Festival Info Point. The Guides will also be available a month before from the library and other local businesses.

Large print accessible festival guides will be available at the Access Hub and Festival Info Point.

Audio Description

All the main performances and some of the walkabout shows will be Audio Described and there will be a limited number of headphones for these performances. Please speak to a steward or Access Ambassador if you require a headset.

BSL interpreters

We have BSL interpreters at all the verbal performances. In addition, there is a roaming BSL interpreter on hand too. Please speak to a Festival steward or Access Ambassador should you require assistance. If you would like more information or assistance before the day, please email access@firstart.org.uk.

Easy Read Guides

We have Easy Read Guides for several of the performances. These will be available on the website soon. 

Printed versions will be available from the Access Hub, Festival Info Point and QR codes will be provided at the performances offering Easy Read guides.

Touch Tours

For some performances we are able to offer a Touch Tour ahead of the performance. These are free and drop-in, so there is no need to book. The Festival Guide and online listings will detail which performances offer this. These typically last 20 minutes.

6. Accessible car parking

People with a blue badge are allowed to park in a disabled parking bay, providing their parking badge is displayed correctly with the expiry date showing. If the disabled bays are taken, you can park your vehicle in the other bays.

There are various car parks in and around Mansfield Town Centre.

A link to the car parks can be found here https://www.mansfield.gov.uk/directory/search?directoryID=4&showInMap=1&keywords=%20&categoryId=20&postcode=&search=Search

Disabled parking is free in all parking bays in council run car parks except the following where the standard fee if payable:

    • Walkden Street
    • Civic Centre
    • Clumber Street
    • Four Seasons multi-storey
    • Service Area D
    • Old Town Hall
    • Victoria Street

 

Car parks close proximity to main locations
Old Town Hall Car Park, NG18 1JN

0.1 mile to Market Place

0.2 mile to Four Seasons, Buttercross and Mansfield Museum

Toothill Lane long-stay NG18 1NJ

0.2 mile to Market Place and Museum

0.4 mile to Four Seasons and Buttercross

Four Seasons Shopping Centre multi-storey car park

0.1 mile to Four Seasons Shopping Centre and Buttercross

0.2 mile to Market Place

0.3 mile to Mansfield Museum

7. Travel guide
By road

Just follow the signs to Mansfield off the M1 (Junctions 27, 28 & 29). You’ll find the town is clearly sign posted on all routes leading into Mansfield.

The main roads into Mansfield are the A38, A60, & A617.

There are over 2900 spaces to park in and around the Town Centre.

Each car park has its own tariff and is clearly marked for the number of hours parking allowed.

A link to the car parks can be found here www.mansfield.gov.uk/directory/search?directoryID=4&showInMap=1&keywords=%20&categoryId=20&postcode=&search=Search

By train

Mansfield Railway Station (NG18 1BE) is 0.3 miles from Market Place, 0.4 miles from Four Seasons Shopping Centre and Buttercross and 0.5 miles from Mansfield Museum.

The Robin Hood line links Mansfield to other towns in the region, calling at stations between Nottingham and Worksop. For more information about train times call 08457 484 950 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk

The Railway Station can be found on Station Road, Mansfield, Notts., NG18 5RN and is in close proximity to the town centre (approximately 0.3 miles)

Railway Station Facilities
Car park

There is a station car park with accessible parking and accessible car park equipment; wheelchair users can use car park equipment at this station unaided

Toilets

Accessible toilets are available at the station.

Access coverage

The station has strep free access coverage Category B.

Step free access to both platforms via ramps with shallow gradients.

Step free access between platforms is via a subway.

This station has tactile paving at the edge of each platform.

Full info can be found here: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/MFT.aspx

Mansfield Bus Station

Mansfield Town Centre is easily accessible by public transport.

Mansfield’s Bus Station is situated off Quaker Way in Mansfield Town Centre, with easy access to the town centre shops & shopping centres. More details about the bus station can be found here. 

For more information about bus services to and from Mansfield visit http://www.stagecoachbus.com or http://www.traveline.org.uk.

Bus Station Facilities

The Bus Station is a fully enclosed building offering protection from the weather, with comfortable seating and 24 hour CCTV, providing a relaxed, safe waiting environment.

It has 16 departure bays, and for customer safety and comfort, boarding will be controlled by automatic doors that only open when the bus has arrived.

Travel Information Centre

The Travel Information Centre is located inside the Bus Station. Interchange Assistants are on hand to answer any questions and provide guidance on your travel needs.

The station also features
        • Free WiFi (Mansfield Hotspot)
        • Electronic information displays
        • Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities.
Getting to Mansfield Town Centre from the railway and bus stations

We have short video that walks you through the routes into Mansfield town centre from the Railway Station and Bus Station at https://firstart.org.uk/tfsaccess/getting-into-mansfield-from-the-railway-and-bus-stations/.

Taxi drop-off points

There are a number of places to be dropped off around Mansfield Town Centre. Some suggested drop-off points include:

    • Market House Place (within a 0.1 mile walk of Market Place)
    • Queen Street (within a 0.1 mile walk of Market Place)
    • Top of Regent Street off Clumber Street (within 0.1 mile walk of Market Place)
8. Arrival Guide

Activity starts at 11am.

We will have A-Boards across the town centre informing people of what is happening.

Our Access Ambassadors, in purple t-shirts, will be at the Festival Info Point (in Four Seasons Shopping Centre) to provide support to anyone who needs it.

They can help getting you from A to B and ensure you get the support you need on the day. Here we will have our Festival Guide with a map and all the information you need.

We will also have plenty of stewards out and about to help with any questions or if you need any support. They will be wearing pink t-shirts.

9. Medical and welfare services
First Aid

We will have a professional dedicated First Aid team on site based in Market Place to assist anyone with any medical needs or requirements. We do not have a fridge to store medication.

Quiet Zone

The Quiet Zone is specifically designed to give people a place to go to escape the hustle and bustle of the Festival if it all gets too much.

This is situated in the Mansfield Central Library on the first floor. This will be signed posted.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones / Ear Defenders

We have a limited number of noise-cancelling headphones to use. If you would like to borrow a pair, please go to the Access Ambassadors hub or the Quiet Zone in the library.