Mattioli Arena: accessibility for snooker

Arrange access before buying

Start with the venue’s box office on 0116 326 9700 or tickets@leicesterarena.co.uk. Give the event, date, chosen start and access requirements. For Champion of Champions accessible tickets, the promoter publishes 0344 581 0888. For a WST Play annual-member qualifying ticket, follow the member email’s claim route, then confirm the position with the venue.

Every person, including a carer, needs a ticket under the general venue rules. A free qualifying member admission and a companion entitlement are separate questions. Ask for the combined disabled visitor and companion cost before payment. [UNVERIFIED: event wheelchair positions, companion price/eligibility and snooker-specific access allocation.] Neither the general arena FAQ nor the checked public price pages establishes these details.

Explain whether you remain in a wheelchair, transfer to a chair, need an adjacent companion, have restricted legroom or require a particular route. In multi-table qualifying, ask which table area the place faces and how staff manage movement between matches. The UK event changes from eight tables to four for 25–26 November.

Entrance, station and parking

Arrive at 12 Memory Lane, Leicester LE1 3UL. The arena directs all pedestrian and vehicle entry to Memory Lane; Charter Street has no entrance. Arrange a drop-off with staff if walking from parking or the station is difficult.

The venue’s general estimate is 25 minutes on foot from Leicester station. National Rail lists Leicester as category A step-free, with lifts to all platforms, accessible toilets, a Changing Places facility, induction loop and help points. Staff assistance is listed around the clock. Arrange station assistance for the train you actually plan to use.

The free city-centre Hop has a wheelchair space and audio-visual announcements. It links the station with central stops from 8am to 6pm Monday–Saturday, excluding bank holidays; it is a daytime transfer followed by a walk, not a direct arena or late-night service. Check its boarding arrangements if travelling with a chair or pushchair.

Venue material lists disabled parking spaces. Confirm whether they are available for your snooker date, the booking process and the step-free path to the entrance. On-site parking uses event arrangements and paid ANPR rules. Obtain the tariff and any Blue Badge concession directly; the general visitor information gives no free-parking promise.

Step-free routes and toilets

The venue’s published 2026 spectator information confirms step-free access and accessible seating. That pack describes a darts layout. Use its building information while asking for the current snooker seat and route; the darts seat allocation and child rules belong to a different event.

Accessible toilets are confirmed on the ground floor in the general arena guidance. Tell staff if you need quick access during long frames, room to transfer or assistance reaching the toilet. Ask how re-entry to the playing area is handled while other tables remain active.

[UNVERIFIED: hearing-assistance equipment, assistance-dog arrangements, quiet-room provision and a Changing Places toilet inside the arena.] The checked general FAQs leave these specialist facilities unspecified. Describe the support you need and request a written answer. The station’s Changing Places facility is a separate building, around the venue’s 25-minute walk away.

Bags, medication and food

The arena normally allows one A4-size bag per person and bars backpacks, travel cases, laptop bags, camera bags and large totes. Its rules also bar outside food and drink. Contact the box office before travel about medical equipment, medication storage, essential food, liquid medication or a larger medical bag.

Cashless venue payments require a card or mobile payment method. Free water is available where refreshments are served. If your companion will collect food or water while you remain seated, discuss the route with staff.

The general policy bars re-entry after leaving the building. An all-day qualifying ticket covers that day’s advertised play, but any break outside needs an event-specific arrangement from staff. Ask about rest breaks, a quieter waiting place and getting back to the same accessible position.

Planning the length of a visit

UK qualifying has three starts at 9.30am, 2.30pm and 7.30pm on 21–24 November. On 25–26 November the starts are 1pm and 7pm. Each match is best of 11 frames. A £12 day ticket can cover a long visit, so decide which starts you want and arrange assistance for arrival and departure.

Champion group sessions begin at 1pm and 7pm on 9–12 November. Its AXS listings give doors 45 minutes before the listed start, while the general arena estimate is usually 90 minutes. The event ticket takes precedence. Tell the booking team if early admission or extra time to reach a seat is needed.

Evening play has a score-dependent finish. Reserve time for the station journey and boarding assistance. A last train fixes your departure deadline; a nearby hotel can reduce that deadline. The venue hub’s hotel areas and transport section keep those plans separate from accessible-seat booking.

Help and source checks

Inside the venue, stewards and security can request assistance. In an immediate emergency call 999 and state Mattioli Arena, 12 Memory Lane, Leicester LE1 3UL. Keep your seller’s confirmation accessible for ticket or seating questions.

Access information checked 8 October 2026 against Before your visit, During your visit, venue facilities, National Rail’s Leicester station page and the 2026 venue spectator pack. The pack’s event-specific darts rules have not been assigned to snooker.

This independent access guide links back to the Mattioli venue hub. Our fact-checking standards explain how missing information and corrections are handled.