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BECTU HEAD OFFICE – VISITORS GUIDE TO ACCESS
Welcome to BECTU’s head office. This sheet is intended to help you
find your way to and around our building.
BECTU’s head office is a short distance from Clapham North (Northern
Line) underground station (note there is an unavoidable fixed staircase
of 20 steps in the station. (Stockwell - Northern and Victoria Lines - is
the nearest alternative underground station – about 1km north on
Clapham Road.) Emerging from the station cross with care at the lights
towards the Clapham North (formerly Bedford Arms) public house on
Clapham Road – the office is some 250m further on.
Alternatively bus route number 88 passes the office and serves Warren
Street (for Euston), Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Westminster and
the Tate Britain.
(It also passes the Comfort Inn at Vauxhall.)
Information on accessible buses can be found on the Transport for
London website at www.tfl.gov.uk/bus-services.shtml.
There is also overground rail to Clapham High Street from Victoria or
London Bridge (trains run every 15 minutes).
For minicab hire, Keen’s (020 7350 0202) is GMB-recognised, and
Ruskin Private Hire (7708 4444) can provide wheelchair-accessible
vehicles. If you need to call a taxi to take you from the building, the
receptionist can do this for you. Be prepared for some delay, however:
if possible arrange this when you arrive for your meeting.
There is a wheelchair lift* for access to the building from a designated
wheelchair user’s parking space. This is at the number 377 (south)
entrance to the building. If possible let us know in advance if you wish to
use this.
There are a limited number of other parking spaces available. However
building works are presently taking place and you must let us know in
advance if you would like to park in our grounds. Priority is given to
drivers with impaired mobility. Please add your vehicle registration
*
Note: this lift is currently out of service and alternative access
adjustments may be required. Installation of a new lift is awaited.
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number when you sign in at reception, which is at the number 375
(central) entrance to the building. Remember to sign out when leaving. *
Bicycles may be stored securely at the rear. Please ask for assistance
at reception.
There is a No Smoking policy throughout the building. Smokers may
smoke outside the building at designated points using the ash bins
provided.
Tea and coffee and drinking water facilities are provided in the main
meeting room, and in the ground floor conservatory. If you have special
dietary or medication needs we should be aware of, please let us know
in advance or on arrival.
Conference Room 1 on the first floor has an induction loop system for
people with a T setting on their hearing aids (advance notice is helpful).
There is free WiFi. Take the lift to the first floor and turn right. The two
steps into the conference room can be avoided by using the wheelchair
route (with pneumatic lift) via the offices on the right. There are mens,
womens and adapted WCs on the ground and first floor.
Conference Room 2 is a new accessible ground floor conservatory
room. Turn left after from reception then first right.
The members room/learning suite (north annex, basement) offers
training facilities and Internet access for members. It is advisable to
check in advance on availability. The room is not currently accessible to
wheelchair users or people with impaired mobility, but services can be
provided by other means. Report to main reception before proceeding to
the annex building, which is now separated from the main building.
There are two interview rooms on the ground floor near reception, one
of which is equipped with induction loop facilities, the other with limited
free Internet access.
The old conservatory on the ground floor has tea, coffee and drinking
water facilities, but please note that between 12.30 and 14.30 it serves
as a rest room for BECTU’s staff – please allow them priority use during
these times. The receptionist can advise on local cafés, sandwich
outlets, pubs, etc.
*
Note: we cannot accept liability for loss from or damage to vehicles.
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First aid kits are available at reception and in the First Aid Room which
is situated in the basement of the main building. If you require the
services of one of BECTU’s trained First Aiders, call reception (dial 0 on
any internal telephone).
Before your meeting please familiarise yourself with the emergency fire
evacuation procedures which are posted on the walls near break-glass
points and exit doors. Arrange any assistance requested by people with
disabilities or impairments. The fire alarm is signalled by the continuous
loud sounding of a bell. The fire assembly point is to the front of the
building near the main gate, but if a fire exit to the rear is nearer it should
be used.
Please advise our Finance Department as soon as possible if you
require assistance with travel and/or accommodation, giving details of
any access adjustments, dietary needs or other requirements. We can
supply you with travel warrants which you can exchange for rail tickets –
if you can, request these in time to get a discounted ticket.
Please let the BECTU official convening your meeting know in advance if
you will need documents for your meeting in a format other than 12pt
typescript or if you would like access adjustments not mentioned above.
(A large print version of this guide is available on request.)
If you have any queries not covered here, contact
TRACEY HUNT
Administrative Officer
e-mail: thunt@bectu.org.uk telephone: 020 7346 0900
[Our location can be found online on Google Maps by typing bectu in the
Search Maps box.]
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