What we need: Venue Mystery Shopping Form - Guide It is important to us that you fill out the form using your own personal experiences. However, here may be fact-based questions that do not apply to your experience specifically, i.e. Was there a hearing loop available? In these cases, pleasetake time to find out the necessary information in advance or on the ground and provide an answer on the form. Do feel free to leave out questions asking for your experiences of facilities if you do not have the opportunity to use personally. How to complete the form: The form has been designed to follow your journey as a gig goer. In a venue, filling in a form might make it obvious that you are mystery shopping, so this should be considered if thinking of taking the form to the gig. Taking notes on the night is a great idea, to ensure you capture all the information you need. If you choose to do this, we ask that you type up the information and email us a completed form. This will give you a chance to reflect on your answers, and add any further details following the event. It also means that we can process your form much faster. The rating system: You will be asked to rate certain things from 0 10. 0 means very bad, 10 is excellent. Page 1 of 5
Sections of the form: We have picked outquestions from each section of the form to provide you with a little extra detail. If you have a question that isn t answered here, or something is not clear, please contact Mandi via mandi@attitudeiseverything.org.uk or ring 020 7383 7979 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 1. Details Basic information to tell us which event you shopped. 2. Access Information Access information is any information that relates directly to the potential access requirements of Deaf and disabled customers. 3. Booking 2.2. An access information page can sometimes be labelled disabled access, disability access, access needs. Information can also be hidden on FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pages or within ticketing information. 2.4. Alternative formats for information include Braille, Large Print, and Audio. 2.5. Text Relay is a national telephone relay service that enables Deaf and hard of hearing people to access any services available through standard telephone services. This is achieved via operators who relay typed text into speech and vice versa. The booking system includes the purchasing or booking or tickets, along with the booking of access facilities if available. 3.5. It is useful for us to know what is advertised on websites, and then what can be pre-booked. Finally, please let us know whether or not you used each facility in the used? column. 3.6. This might be an emailed or posted document with further details about the event. 3.7. Please include your PA if taken, and then the total number of friends / family who attended the festival with you. Page 2 of 5
4. Travel and Arrival This section is designed to capture information about the experience of arriving at and getting into the venue. 5. Box Office 5.2. Astep-free box office means that it is possible to get to the box office from the street without having to use any steps or flights of stairs. 5.3. Please ask at the box office if not sure that a hearing loop is present. A hearing loop amplified sound for people who make use of hearing aids. A hearing loop system might be advertised by this symbol: 6. Toilets 5.5. Even if you have no personal questions, we ask you to make a point of trying to ask a member of staff at least one question about access upon arrival. For example Where is the accessible toilet? 6.1. An accessible toilet in a venue should be a larger toilet that may have the wheelchair symbol on the door, which is designed to be used by people who require the additional room and turning space if using a wheelchair. 6.2.Please also tell us if there was a Changing Places toilet in the venue. This is a large toilet unit that offers an electronic hoist and adult changing bed.see www.changing-places.org for more information. 6.3. RADAR keys are universal keys that people can use to enter over 9000 locked accessible toilets all over the UK.See www.radar.org.uk for more information. 7. Food, Drink and Merchandise Please try to visit all public bars in the venueand all areas where merchandise and food vendors are present. 7.3. A lowered bar is usually a section of the bar that is lower than the rest of the bar, allowing easy access for, for example, people using wheelchairs. Page 3 of 5
8. Access to the performance Captioning = spoken words or song lyrics are converted into text to be read by the audience including people who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. Audio-description = the environment and performance is described verbally, for use by people with vision impairments. Hearing loop = the performance audio is amplified to be picked-up by hearing aids worn by members of the audience. BSL (British Sign Language) = the performance is interpreted in a communication method and language used by many Deaf people. 9. Viewing platforms and areas Viewing platform = a raised platform that is accessed via a ramp that is designed to offer a view to seated audience members. Viewing area = a marked-out area at ground level that is reserved for seated audience members. This is usually located at the front by the stage. If there are viewing platforms present at the event, but you do not make use of them, please still complete as many questions as you can. The more information we collect, the better! 10. Access routes 10.2. 10.5. Please give as much detail as you can, considering things like the ground surface, slopes, obstructions, lighting, how busy the routes were etc. 11. Multi-room Events This section is included to try and capture information about nights when music (live bands or DJs) is played in more than one room of the venue. 11.6. Please let us know if there was step-free access to all other rooms. Page 4 of 5
12. Staff Please base your answers for this section on your personal experiences, the stories you may receive from talking with other Deaf or disabled customers, and, if needs be, questions you ask intentionally. Please do not inform staff that you are mystery shopping, and only ask questions that a customer might be expected to ask! 12.2. Please try to ask a member of staff at least one question on the night to test their level of knowledge of access facilities available and who they are intended for. Questions you could ask include Is the viewing platform only for wheelchair users? etc. 12.3. We are as keen to hear about good experiences with staff as we are bad ones! These experiences do not have to be related to access or disability awareness. 13. After the gig This section has been designed to be completed once you have returned home following the event. 13.3. Your opinions matter! Mystery shopper suggestions have been implemented at many festivals over the years yours could be next! 13.4. Base your rating on your personal experience as well as any other factors that you may have observed. Page 5 of 5