Royal Festival Hall Reviews Summary

Accessibility

Pros:

• "Easy to access via London Underground and then a short walk across the bridge."
• "Nearest train station is Waterloo which is right across the road from it."
• "Only 10 minutes from Waterloo Station the festival hall is a great place to meet friends and has large open spaces for kids to run around in."
• "Very easy to get to from Paddington."
• "Car parking is an issue however Waterloo station is on walking distance."
• "If you need wheelchair access, look for the lift which is on the left side of the building as you look at it."
• "The building is located on the Southbank of the River Thames, which makes it an ideal spot for enjoying stunning views of the river and the surrounding area."

Cons:

• "The lifts are poorly signposted, and the glass lift for disabled access is far too small."
• "Can be awkward in a wheelchair to get from one side to another on certain floors."
• "Unfortunately the lift situation was rather lacking, which meant a long wait with our buggy to get up to the 4th floor and back."
• "Not enough staff to say or point out that there were other lifts available."
• "Waterloo station was closest however it's very busy."
• "A bit disappointed because of the closure of the balcony where I was going to enjoy the view of London lights with a glass of wine."
• "Toilets could be larger and more plentiful."

Atmosphere & Venue

Pros:

• "Love this place. Always nice to pass time people watching with a coffee or relaxing."
• "There's always Lots of things going on here, with many spaces open."
• "This venue has always held a place in my heart. From the fountains out the front in the summer to the food market at the back there is always something going on around the Festival Hall."
• "The hall's striking modernist architecture is still impressive to this day, and its interior is equally impressive."
• "The Royal Festival Hall is simply grand!"
• "A great meeting place with free music on Fridays. It is London's Lounge."
• "The Southbank Centre is a fantastic venue hosting many festivals throughout the year, with a gold standard for accessibility."

Cons:

• "The building from the outside looks like a fairly non descript concrete lump. On entry it was quite cold and unwelcoming."
• "Hate the brutalist architecture of the outer building but love the lightness and brightness of the inside."
• "but the venue felt tired. Even the carpet in the foyer looks like it's been there since the building was first open."
• "The only thing wrong with this place is how it is used by a lot of people."
• "But this means that there are a sector that use it as second home without ever putting money over the counter."
• "I'm quickly losing patience with venues like this doing kids' events without drink holders by the seats or even lids on the slushies."
• "The building from the outside looks like a fairly non descript concrete lump."

Staff & Service

Pros:

• "The staff are great and so helpful."
• "The staff were nothing less than excellent."
• "The staff are generally friendly and very helpful."
• "All the staff were extremely helpful, inviting, and friendly."
• "The whole venue was lovely, the staff were friendly and helpful with finding seats and the correct entrances."
• "Very well organised performances. Staff were helpful, knowledgeable and efficient."
• "Staff were helpful and very friendly."

Cons:

• "Lovely place to come to but the bar staff really need to learn how to smile at thier customers."
• "Wasn't very happy with the ushers some had issues understanding English and didn't want to help."
• "Security on the door could have been a bit more friendly."
• "Really wish people like this would learn how to act or just stay away from live shows."
• "HOWEVER I had the most awful gin and tonic of my life at the bar this evening."
• "At £7.20 a pint it should be me grimacing as I give you my money."
• "The staff, however, were very pleasant and friendly, which helped with overall experience."

Facilities & Comfort

Pros:

• "The seating is in the round and is very comfortable and roomy."
• "Comfortable seats."
• "Nice terrace bar with a great view."
• "The seating is comfortable, the acoustics are excellent, and the stage is spacious and well-equipped."
• "Seats were comfortable enough."
• "The seating was very comfortable, the bars well stocked, and the toilets in good repair and clean."
• "The seating for wheelchair bound folk was fabulous."

Cons:

• "but when I ordered a lager shandy at the downstairs bar, they tried to charge me £9.20!!!"
• "Christmas Actually meant to be 2 hours but was an excruciating 2 hours 45 minutes. It never seemed to end."
• "I was annoyed because I couldn't see well the scene because one tall person was in front of me."
• "The hall was extremely warm and I was slightly moist with sweat by the time the 30 minute ish show was finished."
• "Little leg room whilst seated."
• "The front couple of rows, which are the most expensive, are well below the height of the stage."
• "Uncomfortable ragged looking seat, not a great acoustic still despite attempted improvements."