We thank Mrs Padmini Kesavapany for her feedback on her last visit to Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay (Prioritise accessibility in theatres; April 2).
We regret that your visit was marred by challenges you faced accessing our venue as a senior citizen and temporarily handicapped person.
As a performing arts centre for everyone, we seek to ensure that our venues are accessible to all.
We recognise that more can always be done, but we seek your understanding that it has to be considered against the unique demands of performance spaces.
We are unable to add more space between the rows of seats and to include a centre aisle within the venue, as there are inherent design and structural limitations.
Nonetheless, in our theatre and concert hall, we have designated seats that can be removed to provide greater flexibility for patrons who need special seating requirements, such as those with limited mobility.
For wheelchair users who can be transferred to a seat, we make arrangements for them to purchase tickets to seats that are along the aisle and which do not require them to take too many steps.
Wheelchair loan services are available for those who may require assistance when visiting the centre.
We have also been introducing more services and facilities to make visits as comfortable and enjoyable as possible for patrons.
These include: refurbished public toilets with automated doors and railings, lift access from Esplanade Park to our centre via our basement carpark, and LED lighting on the steps within our indoor venues for better visibility.
To help our patrons better plan their visit to Esplanade, an accessibility guide is available on our website. It includes information on getting around Esplanade, and a list of facilities which help to make things as comfortable as possible for each visitor.
We recommend that all patrons with special requirements state their needs at the time they book their tickets.
For patrons who may already have purchased tickets, they could contact our Customer Experience team at 6828-8377 prior to their visit for assistance.
Ravi Sivalingam
Head, Operational Support Services
The Esplanade
