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This page features information on venues for Ex Cathedra's season concerts in Birmingham and London. Town HallVictoria Square Venue Acclaimed at its opening in 1834 as the finest music hall in the country, this Grade 1 listed landmark has been beautifully restored and reopens in October 2007. Ex Cathedra is delighted to be an Associate Artist of the Town Hall and to have the opportunity to develop a long-term relationship with a concert hall which has played such an important part in building Birmingham's musical reputation. Parking Information Roadside parking is free from 6pm and on Sundays. Brindley Drive, Holliday Street and Brunel Street car parks are all within walking distance of Town Hall. There are spaces for Blue Badge holders. Disabled access and wheelchair seats There are allocated wheelchair seats in the venue and disabled toilets. Please contact the Town Hall and Symphony Hall box office for further information on 0121 780 3333. Other information Choir benches are located behind the stage and do not have back rests. The foyer bars will be open an hour before the start of the concert and stay open for the interval and after the concert on the Lower and Circle levels, serving a variety of drinks and cold snacks. The Oratory141 Hagley Road (near the Plough & Harrow Hotel) Venue Sometimes described as ‘Little Rome in Birmingham’, the splendour of the Oratory is not readily obvious from the roadside. The interior of the church and its cloisters are redolent of the splendour of the Roman Catholic tradition. Built between 1907-1910 in the Baroque style, it is a memorial to Cardinal Newman, the founder of the English Oratory. Parking Information Free car parking is available for concerts at the Oratory car park. The car park is situated behind the Oratory on Plough & Harrow Road. To get to the car park, turn off the Hagley Road (there is a right hand filter lane, if you are approaching from the Five Ways roundabout) down Monument Road, turn right at the zebra crossing into Plough and Harrow Road, the car park is on your right (sign reads ‘St Philip’s Sixth Form College). Disabled access and wheelchair seats Access from the car park is flat and there is a ramp for access through the cloisters into the church itself. Row A seats 3 & 4 and 16 & 17 (equivalent if row A is not being used) are designated for wheelchair users. If you have any further queries about the venue, please do contact the Ex Cathedra office on 0121 200 1511. Toilets These are situated across the cloisters on the ground floor. Disabled toilet is next to the Gents – access is flat. Sight lines Unreserved seats (£7.00) have less favourable viewing. Other information Church venues can be draughty (especially in winter) and pews hard! It may be wise to dress accordingly and bring a cushion. There are no refreshments on sale before or during the interval. St Paul’s ChurchSt Paul’s Square Venue This Georgian church is a Grade I listed building and is also known as ‘The Jeweller’s Church’, due to its close association with Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter. The church retains the original elegant wooden box pews and has an excellent acoustic. It is situated in Birmingham’s only remaining Georgian square Parking Information On street pay and display parking is available on St Paul’s Square and adjacent streets (Caroline St, Brook Street, Ludgate Hill, Charlotte Street etc – free after 6.00pm). There is a multi storey car park on the corner of Newhall and Brook Sts. Disabled access and wheelchair seats North side box, seats 3 & 4, Row A Front Nave, seats 21 & 22. There is one shallow step to allow access to these seats on the North side of the church (St Paul’s hope to have a ramp in the near future). Cars arriving with disabled audience members or wheelchair users may telephone the church in advance of a concert (0121 236 7858) to arrange to drive up to the church entrance (opposite the Rope Walk pub). Further disabled seats can be arranged by request – for this or any other queries regarding the venue, please call the Ex Cathedra office on 0121 200 1511. A new fully adapted disabled toilet is due to be completed in March 2005. Toilets Due to the popularity of the Christmas Music by Candlelight concerts additional ‘portacabin’ toilets are situated outside the church, accessible from the main and south side doors. There is a new, fully accessible disabled toilet situated by the north door. Sight lines The unreserved tickets upstairs in the centre gallery are unsighted. The box pews in the South gallery AA, BB, CC, seats 25-32 and North Gallery, AA, BB, CC, seats 21-24 have restricted views. Other Church venues can be draughty (especially in winter) and pews hard! May be wise to dress accordingly and bring a cushion. At the Christmas Music by Candlelight concerts, audience members are encouraged to bring their own mulled wine and mince pies to enjoy during the interval. There are no refreshments on sale at concerts. St John's Smith Square, London
Please visit www.sjss.org.uk for information. Links for travel to Birmingham:For general information on Birmingham : For bus travel in the West Midlands : For travel by train: National rail enquiries 08457 484950 Birmingham is serviced by Central Trains, Chiltern, Railtrack, Silverlink and Virgin. Main stations are New Street , Snow Hill and Moor Street For travel by air: Birmingham International Airport |
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