Council House accessibility introduction
This guide summarises the most used areas in the Council House building. This is not a complete guide of the whole building, but an overview of key meeting points and facilities.
This guide is intended to increase visitors' confidence prior to attending the Council House.
Please note that the Council House was built in 1913. It is an old building and has some restrictions and areas that aren’t as accessible for people with mobility issues.
Who is this guide for?
Visitors – Anybody visiting the Council House for meetings, training, or events.
What is the purpose of this guide?
- To provide information on physical access when using the building
- To improve mental and emotional accessibility by clearly stating expectations
- To enhance wellbeing and increase confidence to plan your day and make decisions.
Guide contents
- Getting to the Council House
- Entering and leaving
- Reception, Fire Exits and Assembly points.
- Stairs and lifts
- Toilet facilities
- Meeting rooms
Getting to the Council House
Opening hours
The Council House is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5pm and up to 10pm depending on meeting timings. Before 8am you will need to scan your ID badge to unlock the automatic doors to the reception.
Someone will be available at reception desks between the hours of 7.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday. The Council House is not available to the public and you need a meeting or be confirmed by a member of the council to enter the building. The building is not open on weekends or bank holidays.
Getting to the Council House
On foot
From Friargate One to the Council House will take approximately 13 minutes to walk and is 0.5 miles. The distance from The Bull Yard in Coventry City Centre, takes approximately 7 minutes to walk and is 0.3 miles.
By train
The Council house is located approximately 0.6 miles and a 14-minute walk to Coventry train station, which has links to local stations such as Rugby, Leamington Spa and Birmingham New Street.
Coventry Station offers step-free access to all platforms and wheelchair spaces are provided on trains.
By Car
The nearest car park to the council house is Salt Lane Multi-Storey Car Park [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/directory-record/49378/salt-lane-car-park], located approximately a 5 minute walk away and is 0.2 miles away.
Salt Lane parking ranges from £1.10 for a 1 Hour stay to £12 for 24 Hours for non-blue badge holders. Please note there is no cash payment option.
For disabled parking there are:
- 24 internal bays. (Use Salt Lane main entrance).
- 7 externals on the ground floor; For use by modified / high sided disabled vehicles (Use Greyfriars Lane entrance)
- Disabled Badge Holders should use the buzzer on exit to give details of your blue badge as there is no charge for blue badge holders.
Travelling by bike
There are six bike racks located to the front of the council house.
If you ask at reception, you can keep your bike in one of the rooms inside the Council house upon request. To the left of the building while looking face on there are more bike racks.
Cycling from Friargate will take approximately 5 minutes.
Travelling by bus
The nearest bus stop to the council house is Herbert Gallery (Stop ES1), Coventry CV1 2LU. Timetables can be found on Transport for West Midlands [https://www.tfwm.org.uk/] and National Express Coventry [https://nxbus.co.uk/coventry/services-timetables].
This is roughly a 3-minute walk from the Council House.
Traveling by motorbike
If you are traveling by Motorbike you can park on Warwick Road Motorcycle Parking, CV1 1EX. This is about an 8-minute walk away from the Council House.
Entering and leaving the Council House
Entrance
An accessible ramp with a handrail is located on the left side of the building when looking at the entrance face on.
There are also handrails located on the steps to the front and right side of the building. There are 6 steeper steps to the right side:
There are 5 steps when approaching the entrance from the middle and 4 steps (without a handrail) when approaching from the left next to the ramp.
Reception, fire exits and assembly points
As you enter the building there are two sets of automatic glass doors before you enter reception.
The doors do not open automatically before 8am and your ID card needs to be scanned to open the second set of automatic doors. The ID badge scanner is on the wall on the right as you pass through the first set of automatic doors.
Fire exits and assembly points
In case of fire or other emergency, the assembly point location is across the road and on the grassed area to the front of the main entrance.
Fire exits are located along the three main internal staircases that provide access to all floors and terminate at a single ground floor exit.
There is an alternative means of escape from the first floor to the rear courtyard. Upper floors have access to an external fire escape which terminates in the rear courtyard. The second floor office has a roof exit across a gantry to the council chambers.
There are fire exits at either end of the Diamond Rooms corridor, however the exit at the back of the Diamond Room corridors includes 19. The Council House reception exit is fully accessible for anyone who cannot use steps.
Evacuation chairs are located at the end of the diamond room corridor and are mounted to the wall on the left.
There are two more evacuation chairs down two additional steps.
Regular fire alarm tests take place at 9.30 am on a Wednesday.
First aid
First aid boxes are available at the end of the diamond room corridor and are mounted to the wall on the left.
Stairs and lifts
From the reception area, there are ten steps to the lower-level committee rooms.
Lift
A lift is available to the left of the reception desk. Two circular call buttons are available on a wooden panel to the right of the lift doors.
The lift panel is on the left as you enter the lift. The panel includes six buttons, one for the Basement, Ground, First and Second floor. The bottom row of buttons includes an illuminated alarm button on the left and a button to close the lift doors on the right.
There are handrails on either side of the lift.
It has a maximum capacity of six people with an 800kg weight limit. The lift can accommodate a motorized wheelchair.
Stairlift
There is a stairlift for access to the lower-level committee rooms. This lift is only to be used by seated persons and the safe working load is one person with a wheelchair at a maximum combined weight of 225kg.
It is regularly serviced, and instructions are available next to the lift controls.
Stairs
The main Council House staircase is curved and includes several sets of steps separated by landings.
From reception to the first floor there are 3 steps to the first landing, 7 steps to the middle landing and then 16 steps to the first floor.
From the first floor there are 17 steps to the landing and 9 to the second floor.
Toilet facilities
Lower-level toilets
Both ladies and men's toilets contain five stalls, one with a door that opens outwards.
Reception and Ground Floor Toilets
The Ladies toilets are located through an ID badge-controlled door to the left of the reception desks. The toilets are accessed via two doors and there are two cubicles. The Men’s toilets are also accessed through an ID badge-controlled door to the right of reception.
Diamond Room toilets
The closest Ladies toilets are located down 19 additional steps. This toilet is not accessible for wheelchair users. Men’s toilets are on the corridor leading to the diamond rooms.
Second-floor toilets
Ladies and men’s toilets are located through ID badge-controlled doors to the left of the landing and the lift.
Toilet information
Women's toilets
- Toilet (17.5 Inches from the ground)
- Sink (31 Inches from the ground)
- Soap dispensers.
- Hook for bag/coat
- Toilet paper (31 inches from the floor) and brush
- Paper towels (31 inches from the ground)
- Bin for paper towels
- Sanitary bins
Men's toilets
- Toilet (17.5 Inches from the ground)
- Sink (31 Inches from the ground)
- Soap
- Hook for bag/coat
- Toilet paper (31 inches from the floor) and brush
- Paper towels (31 inches from the ground)
- Bin for paper towels
- Paper towels and bin
- No sanitary bins
Accessible toilets
Both toilets require a radar key for access. If you do not have your radar key, please let a member of the front desk know and they will let you in.
Reception/ground floor accessible toilets
A self-contained disabled toilet is located through an ID badge-controlled door on the left-hand side of the corridor leading towards the Diamond Rooms.
Lower-Level accessible toilets
A self-contained toilet can be located opposite committee room 3.
- Toilet
- Sink with soap dispenser.
- Wall mounted toilet paper
- Paper towels and Bin
- Emergency pull chord to the left of the toilet.
- Black handrails located either side of the sink, under the tissue dispenser and to the right of the toilet seat
Meeting Rooms
The Council house has a variety of meeting spaces to suit a range of needs.
Committee Rooms
Committee Rooms are in the main reception area. As you enter the Council House, Committee Room 1 is to your left and Committee Room 4 to your right. Both rooms accommodate up to 12 people and are arranged in hollow square formation.
The stairs of reception will take you down to committee rooms 2 and 3, situated across a waiting area with sofas, low coffee tables and meeting booths.
Committee room 3 is located directly down the stairs from the Council House reception and across the waiting room.
The room to the left of the waiting area is Committee Room 2.
Committee Meeting 2 and 3 can hold up to 60 people. The meeting rooms may be set up cabaret style with 6-8 chairs around a table or with chairs arranged theatre style.
All committee meeting rooms contain non-adjustable chairs without arms.
Diamond Rooms
Six additional meeting rooms are available in the HMS Diamond Suite and accessed via a power-assisted door that opens outward.
Through the door there is a short gradual ramp and handrail on the left. Meetings rooms all have power assisted doors with exception of diamond rooms 3 and 4.
Temperature control is available in all meeting rooms via a thermostat on the wall. Lighting in Diamond Rooms 1 and 2 are on sensors. Lighting in Diamond Rooms 3 to 6 lighting is adjustable and dimmable.
