Your visit
Accessibility
Underbelly understands disability within the Social Model. This means we are committed to making our festivals accessible to everyone and creating equal experiences for all people.
Access Bookings
If you require the assistance of a personal assistant or a carer to attend, your companion may be eligible for a complimentary ticket. Free companion tickets can be booked in person or over the phone.
To discuss this with a member of our team, please email boxoffice@underbelly.co.uk.
Show Information
Some of our performances may include loud noises, flashing or strobe lighting. We display any content warnings prior to the show starting, but if you require more information, please ask our front of house team or email access@underbelly.co.uk ahead of your visit.
Accessible Performances
We offer captioned and BSL interpreted performances for certain shows. This service may be useful for people who are D/deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. More details of captioned and BSL interpreted performances in 2024 are available here.
We offer relaxed performances for certain shows with a more relaxed performance environment. There is a relaxed attitude to noise and movement in the performance venue. House lights will be up at a low level throughout the performance. No changes are made to the lighting and sound within the show. More details of relaxed performances in 2024 are available here.
Large Print Information
We have large print versions of bar and food menus at all our venues. Please let us know if you require a large print version of any of our materials.
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are welcomed everywhere, and water bowls can be provided if required.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society also offer an access booking service if you have questions or require assistance regarding shows at non-Underbelly venues.
You can find out more at https://www.edfringe.com/experience/accessibility-and-additional-needs.
Fringe Sensory Backpacks
The Fringe Society provide sensory backpacks for anyone who may find the festival environment overwhelming. Backpacks can be reserved by emailing access@edfringe.com and collected from the Fringe shop on the Royal Mile.
Get in Touch
For more information about our access facilities, or if you have any ideas about what we could do better, please contact us in one of the following ways:
- Email us on access@underbelly.co.uk
- Call us on 0131 510 0395
- Talk to a member of staff during your visit.
You can also leave us a review on Euan’s Guide.
Our Venues
UNDERBELLY COWGATE
Unfortunately, due to the historical and temporary nature of the venue, only one performance space, Belly Dancer, is accessible for people who require the use of a wheelchair. All other performance spaces within the venue can only be accessed by staircase.
Performance Spaces
The below information is based on entry from our main entrance on Cowgate. This is our recommended entrance to the venue for those who find climbing stairs more difficult.
Belly Dancer
This venue is accessible by a shallow ramp and can accommodate up to 2 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is all on 1 level.
Big Belly
This venue can only be accessed via 2 flights of a standard set of stairs with a handrail (31 steps). The seating in the venue is raked.
Belly Button
This venue can only be accessed via 1 flight of a standard set of stairs with a handrail (15 steps). The seating in the venue is raked.
Delhi Belly
This venue can only be accessed via 1 flight of a spiral staircase with a handrail (16 steps). The seating in the venue is all on 1 level.
Iron Belly
This venue can only be accessed via 2 flights of a spiral staircase with a handrail (32 steps). The seating in the venue is raked.
Belly Laugh
This venue can only be accessed via 2 flights of a spiral staircase with a handrail (32 steps). The seating in the venue is all on 1 level.
White Belly
This venue can only be accessed via 2 flights of a spiral staircase with a handrail (32 steps). The seating in the venue is all on 1 level.
Box Office
The main box office is on the ground floor of the venue. This has a lowered section of the counter. The box office has a hearing loop installed. Please ask a member of staff if you have any questions about this.
Food and Drink
The Beer Belly bar is located on the ground floor of the building and is accessible via ramp. The bar does not have a lowered section of the counter, but staff are trained to assist all customers.
Toilet Facilities
There is an accessible toilet located on the ground floor of the venue, by the Beer Belly bar. The toilet unit is accessed by a shallow ramp. The door opens outwards and is wide enough for both manual and powered wheelchairs. Inside, there are fixed handrails and drop-down rails to assist with self-transfer between a wheelchair and the toilet. All handrails are colour-contrasting. There is a low-level sink installed.
The nearest Changing Places toilet facilities are in the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street which is open from 10:00 to 17:00 and at the Wetherspoons Booking Office on Waverley Bridge which is open from 06:00 to 00:00.
From 2-26 August there is a temporary Changing Places facility positioned on Middle Meadow Walk (outside Edinburgh Futures Institute), open 10:00 to 22:00.
Parking
This area gets very busy during the festival. The closest multi-storey car park is NCP Edinburgh Castle Terrace which has 5 accessible parking bays.
The closest taxi pick-up and drop-off point is at the junction of Victoria Street and Grassmarket.
UNDERBELLY GEORGE SQUARE
Underbelly George Square has ramped access throughout the site and into all performance venues.
Performance Spaces
Udderbelly
This venue is accessible by a shallow ramp and can accommodate up to 4 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is raked with the front 2 rows at floor level. A hearing loop is installed in this venue.
Wee Coo
This venue is accessible by a shallow ramp and can accommodate up to 2 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is all on one level.
Box Office
There are two box offices at Underbelly George Square. The main box office is just outside the gardens on the north side of the square. There is an additional box office next to the Udderbelly venue. Neither of the box offices have a lowered section of the counter, but staff are trained to assist all customers. Both box offices have a hearing loop installed. Please ask a member of staff if you have any questions about this.
Food and Drink
The main bar has a low-level counter section. The food concessions do not have a lowered section of their counters, but staff are trained to assist all customers.
Toilet Facilities
There is an accessible toilet located within the main toilet are of the site. The toilet unit is accessed by a shallow ramp. The door opens outwards and is wide enough for both manual and powered wheelchairs. Inside, there are fixed handrails and drop-down rails to assist with self-transfer between a wheelchair and the toilet. All handrails are colour-contrasting. There is a low-level sink installed.
The nearest Changing Places toilet facilities will be on Windmill Street, just off George Square. Opening times are still to be confirmed. Additional facilities can be found in the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street which is open from 10:00 to 17:00.
From 2-26 August there is a temporary Changing Places facility positioned on Middle Meadow Walk (outside Edinburgh Futures Institute), open 10:00 to 22:00.
Parking
There is limited on-street pay and display parking on Buccleuch Place, to the south side of George Square. However, this area gets very busy during the festival. The closest multi-storey car park is Q-Park Quartermile which has 10 accessible parking bays.
The closest taxi pick-up and drop-off point is at the junction of Crighton Street and Chapel Street.
UNDERBELLY’S CIRCUS HUB ON THE MEADOWS
Circus Hub on the Meadows has ramped access throughout the site and into all performance venues.
Performance Spaces
The Lafayette
This venue is accessible at ground level and can accommodate up to 4 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is raked with the front 2 rows at floor level. A hearing loop is installed in this venue.
The Beauty
This venue is accessible by a ramp and can accommodate up to 4 manual or powered wheelchairs. Most of the seating in the venue is across 2 levels with a ramp between the levels. The only section of seating which is not fully accessible are the booths which accessed via 2 steps.
Box Office
The box office is just outside the site, by the main entrance. The box office does not have a lowered section of the counter, but staff are trained to assist all customers. A hearing loop is installed. Please ask a member of staff if you have any questions about this.
Food and Drink
The main bar has a low-level counter section. The food concessions do not have a lowered section of their counters, but staff are trained to assist all customers.
Toilet Facilities
There is an accessible toilet located within the main toilet are of the site. The toilet unit is accessed by a shallow ramp. The door opens outwards and is wide enough for both manual and powered wheelchairs. Inside, there are fixed handrails and drop-down rails to assist with self-transfer between a wheelchair and the toilet. All handrails are colour-contrasting. There is a low-level sink installed.
The nearest Changing Places toilet facilities will be on Windmill Street, just off George Square. Opening times are still to be confirmed. Additional facilities can be found in the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street which is open from 10:00 to 17:00.
From 2-26 August there is a temporary Changing Places facility positioned on Middle Meadow Walk (outside Edinburgh Futures Institute), open 10:00 to 22:00.
Parking
There is limited on-street pay and display parking on Buccleuch Place, to the north of the Meadows. However, this area gets very busy during the festival. The closest multi-storey car park is Q-Park Quartermile which has 10 accessible parking bays.
The closest taxi pick-up and drop-off point is at the junction of Buccleuch Place and Meadow Lane.
UNDERBELLY BRISTO SQUARE
Underbelly Bristo Square has ramped access throughout the site and into all performance venues except Ermintrude.
Performance Spaces
McEwan Hall
McEwan Hall is similar to a traditional proscenium arch theatre with seating across 3 levels: stalls, balcony and upper balcony. All levels consist of raked seating. There is a lift providing access to all levels but only the stalls level is accessible to wheelchair users. The front 5 rows of the stalls are at floor level and we can accommodate up to 6 manual or powered wheelchairs. This venue has a hearing loop.
Cow Barn
This venue is accessible by a shallow ramp and can accommodate up to 2 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is raked with the front 5 rows at floor level. A hearing loop is installed in this venue.
Ermintrude
This venue can only be accessed via stairs with a handrail (3 steps). The seating in the venue is raked.
Buttercup
This venue is accessible at ground level via a shallow ramp and can accommodate up to 2 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is all on one level.
Daisy
This venue is accessible at ground level and can accommodate up to 2 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is all on one level.
Clover
This venue is accessible at ground level and can accommodate up to 2 manual or powered wheelchairs. The seating in the venue is all on one level.
Dairy Room
This venue is on the first floor and accessible via a lift. It can accommodate 1 manual or powered wheelchair. The seating in the venue is raked with the front row at floor level.
Jersey
This venue is at basement level and accessible via a lift. It can accommodate 1 manual or powered wheelchair. The seating in the venue is raked with the front 2 rows at floor level.
Friesian
This venue is at basement level and accessible via a lift. It can accommodate 1 manual or powered wheelchair. The seating in the venue is all on one level.
Dexter
This venue is at basement level and accessible via a lift. It can accommodate 1 manual or powered wheelchair. The seating in the venue is all on one level.
Box Office
The box office is located on the north-west side of Bristo Square at the junction between Bristo Place and Teviot Place. The box office has a lowered section of the counter on the right-hand side. A hearing loop is installed. Please ask a member of staff if you have any questions about this.
Food and Drink
The main bar in Bristo Square and the bar outside Cow Barn and McEwan have a low-level counter section. The food concessions do not have a lowered section of their counters, but staff are trained to assist all customers.
Toilet Facilities
There is an accessible toilet located within the main toilet are of the site in Bristo Square itself. The toilet unit is accessed by a shallow ramp. The door opens outwards and is wide enough for both manual and powered wheelchairs. Inside, there are fixed handrails and drop-down rails to assist with self-transfer between a wheelchair and the toilet. All handrails are colour-contrasting. There is a low-level sink installed. There are additional accessible toilets in Cow Barn and on the ground and basement levels of McEwan Hall.
The nearest Changing Places toilet facilities will be on Windmill Street, just off George Square. Opening times are still to be confirmed. Additional facilities can be found in the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street which is open from 10:00 to 17:00.
From 2-26 August there is a temporary Changing Places facility positioned on Middle Meadow Walk (outside Edinburgh Futures Institute), open 10:00 to 22:00.
Parking and Taxi Drop-off
There is limited on-street pay and display parking around Bristo Square, however this area gets very busy during the festival. The closest multi-storey car park is Q-Park Quartermile which has 10 accessible parking bays.
The closest taxi pick-up and drop-off points are on Potterrow (directly by Bristo Square) or the junction of Crighton Street and Chapel Street.
