Accessibility at our sessions
by The Auntie Shanty Crew
Auntie Shanty takes place in a historic pub, so are some limits on how accessible the sessions are. We sing in one of two spaces, depending on the weather. Please check the dates page for the likely space for the next sessions and contact us with any questions.
☀️When the weather is warm we sing in The Garden
👩🦽Physical access (The Garden)
The garden is a covered outdoor space to the rear of the pub. It is physically possible for a person in a wheelchair to access the garden through a (usually locked) gate. However, in practice it has been found to be very difficult. Pub staff must lock and unlock the gate, and the route is not always clear of furniture. There are no wheelchair-accessible toilets on site.\There are two steps up from the street into the pub, and a further three steps up to the bar. There are three steps between the pub entrance and the garden.
🪑Seating (The Garden)
In the garden, seating is in large wide hard chairs with backrests and armrests (seat width: 40cm, seat height 41cm).💡Light levels (The Garden)
Some orange-coloured light is emitted by the patio heaters when they are turned on.👂Sound levels (The Garden)
In the garden space, there is often background noise from other pub users, and the bathroom hand-dryers are sometimes audible. There is some background noise from music playing on the speakers in the pub. This is usually quietly audible in the periods between our shanties, but can't be heard when we are singing.*️⃣Smoking (The Garden)
In the garden, we sit in a ‘no smoking’ area, adjacent to the rest of the garden. There are occasional smells of cigarettes and vapes which blow towards us. If you are particularly sensitive to this we recommend getting a seat closer to the ‘pub end’ rather than the ‘garden end’.🌡 Temperature (The Garden)
The garden space has heat lamps which we use, but the temperature varies with weather. It's advisable to dress suitably and bring extra layers if needed.❄️When the weather is cold we sing in The Shadow Gallery
👩🦽Physical access (The Shadow Gallery)
The Shadow Gallery is at the bottom of a flight of stairs. There is no step-free access to the session when we are there.🪑Seating (The Shadow Gallery)
In the Shadow Gallery seating is 'bar stool' type seats with no back support or arm rests.- Short stools: height 48cm; square seat, 32cm x 32cm
- Tall stools: height 78cm; square seat, 32cm x 32cm
- Adjustable stools: height adjustable between 60cm and 80cm; circular seat, diameter 36cm
Tabletops are 76cm high, with legroom of 67cm from bottom of tabletop to floor
💡Light levels (The Shadow Gallery)
The Shadow Gallery has bare bulbs mounted on the wall, which some people have found cause migraines. These fittings are on one wall of the space, so it may help to find a position where these are outside your line of sight. We usually add filters to these lights during the session to reduce their brightness. Please remind us if we've not done that.👂Sound levels (The Shadow Gallery)
We're singing sea shanties, so it can get loud. The Shadow Gallery is an enclosed room, which can make sound louder and more concentrated.General information (both spaces)
🚽Toilets
The pub has two toilet areas, one with 'cubicles and urinals', the other with 'cubicles'. Both are accessible to all genders. There are no toilets with step-free access. The nearest wheelchair-accessible toilets are in the Westgate Centre🏖 Breakout spaces
Auntie Shanty takes place at a pub. If you want to take a break from the session, there may be tables in other spaces within the pub or the garden available. You are very welcome to take a break from the session and then return. There is no designated ‘quiet space’, and the pub usually has music playing throughout the main indoor space.🚲 Transport access
- The Jolly Farmers pub postcode is OX1 1LD
- The Jolly Farmers is approximately 150 metres from the Westgate bus stops
- The Jolly Farmers is approximately 0.4 of a mile from Oxford Railway Station.
- The nearest bicycle parking is in the Castle Complex, with access from Paradise Street (50 metres from the Jolly Farmers). W3W
- Vehicle drop-off outside the pub is possible
- The nearest car parking is in the Westgate Centre car park
🍻 Alcohol
The session takes place in a pub. Other people will likely be drinking alcohol. The bar serves a range of non-alcoholic drinks, and there is no expectation that Auntie Shanty participants will drink alcohol.💰 Money
The Auntie Shanty Session is free. We are grateful that the Jolly Farmers allow us to use this space, and encourage participants to support them by spending money at the bar if they are able to. The Jolly Farmers bar accepts both card and cash payments.🤢 If you're feeling unwell, please don't come to the session
Please consider others, and avoid spreading the germs.😷If you wish to wear a face mask for any reason, you are welcome to do so.
⏳️Start Time
If you're coming to the session for the first time, we recommend arriving at around 6:30.A core group of organisers aim to arrive at 6pm, but we might be delayed. So if you arrive at 6pm, you may be the only person there. In the first half-hour we might rearrange chairs/tables, adjust temperature in the room and chat. We start singing when it feels like enough people have arrived, which is usually at about 6:30.
You can arrive at any time through the session.
If you arrive earlier than 6, the pub will be open.