BBC Studios — Attraction in London

We attended the Russell Howard Hour filming here and it was really brilliant. I would be giving it 5 stars however I'm disabled with invisible illnesses that cause me extreme joint, muscle and nerve pain and the accessibility help was pretty non-existant for me personally. I emailed the organiser a few weeks beforehand and didn't get any help, when I arrived at the venue I found a member of staff immediately and told her my issues, that I couldn't stand for long and where is the accessibility entrance and she just said to just join the queue with everyone else as it won't be long. We ended up queuing for just over an hour and I was in absolute agony which then affected my enjoyment of the actual show since I was in so much pain throughout. I tried to get the attention of a few staff when we got to the bit where you are herded a big group but no luck. I noticed that people who had crutches and wheelchairs were whisked right to the front and presumably in first yet they didn't want to know with me. Also we had 'priority' tickets but we were seated pretty much last and right at the back of the studio. So really priority tickets mean you aren't a priority at all. And yes, I know it was free, but I'd still expect some sort of accessibility help in place for ANYBODY who requires it. I will say though I have no idea if these failings were of the venue staff or if they were the organisers staff? Also the methods in which they call the different colours of wristband was shambolic there wasn't many people with priority it seemed and when we were called we were right at the back of the big crowd and had to push our way through to the front when we were called much to the upset of other patrons, it took sometime and was very difficult for me for obviously reasons then when we were at the front it was 'I don't know why they've called you now' then we were told to wait to one side while they called in hundreds of others before us. They didn't seem to have a proper system and none of it made sense. To me they should be lining up the different colours separately and in the order they want to call them inside. When inside the warm up comedian told us that before we arrived they'd done a survey in the queue and those people were given different wrist bands which seemed to get them in first and the best seating. I'm really not sure what the point of our priority tickets were when if we'd just rocked up earlier and chanced it we apparently would have got much better seating and could have been shown on the show instead of being in the back row. Overall I liked the venue, loved the show but the organisation and disability training is lacking to...

So my experience may not have been typical but I found that the security present, were either EXTREMELY overcautious or bordering taking airport security back to school for an education. I was treated very last minute to tickets to see Russell Howard's happy hour, and at the security check I had my bag from work searched and made to throw all of the edible contents away - including food shopping items and a meal in a Tupperware pot - as ABSOLUTELY no food was allowed inside. I asked to keep it as it was lunches and dinner and I clearly couldn't cook it and eat in while watching a live tv performance. This was met with a flat no, no discussion or reasoning, and told very clearly that it said "No food or drink" on the tickets ........ I didn't have a ticket, I didn't know I was coming, I was invited as a surprise. Furthermore when I was standing in the queue, after security, to get our seats other people around me were eating sweets, crisps, drinking cans etc - which I raised as a question and met with "different security mate". Also I was told when being seated that we would all get a free beer when I was sat in my seat, which when the staff came round asking for empty beer cans I said we hadn't got one and was just told "too late then". Regardless the Russell Howard...

The wonderfully iconic BBC TV centre is being preserved and used to house several exclusive hotels. Although it is directly opposite Wood Lane tube station (Hammersmith & City Line), - it is extremely difficult to access by car, . . . until you know how. The old access ways have been built over (very attractively) to form a kind of piazza. There is a very short access road that hairpins immediately through 180 degrees. However, there is -zero- signage. Yes that's right, - a big fat zippo; nada; nothing. Worse! This access road only has a very shallow curb to define it, and the roadway is precisely the same colour as the walkway and piazza next to it. Even the curb is colour matched. Very pretty - but also very counterintuitive if you're driving up Wood Lane looking for somewhere to drop passengers with luggage!!! In fact the -only- way to do so is to look for this carefully camouflaged access road, and turn into it, to come off the main road, - because you certainly can't stop on Wood Lane! The centre has -no- car park you can use. You have to use the short access road to drop your passengers, and then proceed to the nearby Westfield Mall, and park there. Warning: it's a bit of a walk from the...