Seating Plans

Bristol Beacon includes three performance spaces with seated formats: Beacon Hall, Lantern Hall and Weston Cellar. On this page you’ll find information about seating for these performance areas, auditorium layouts and links to relevant access information.

Beacon Hall is the largest of our performance spaces, with a seated capacity of 1,866, or 2,124 for standing events. Flexibility and accessibility have been built into every stage of this venue’s design creating one of the most innovative live music venues in Europe.

There are many potential seating and performance layouts for Beacon Hall, but our primary formats are:

• Stalls standing (with unallocated seating in the rear stalls)
• Stalls standing (with unallocated seating) + seating in Upper and Lower Tiers
• Fully seated (Stalls and Tiers)
• Fully seated + seating in Choir

The seating format will always be stated on the web page for each event and on your e-ticket.

Venue overview

Beacon Hall has three levels:

• Stalls
• Lower Tier
• Foyle Upper Tier

The Lower and Upper Tiers both have side balconies that overlook the stage. The Choir is a seated area behind the stage on the Lower Tier – this area is not on sale for all events.

Stalls

The Stalls are the lowest level of Beacon Hall and operate in both standing and seated formats.

In a standing format the majority of the seats are removed. The Stalls area has a flat floor, 1m below stage level, from the front of the stage to where raked (sloped) seating begins at the rear of the Stalls (row T). Raked seating (rows T-Z) remains in this format and is unallocated for standing events.

In a seated format, seats at the front of the Stalls are on a flat level (rows AA – F). From the middle stalls to the rear stalls, seats are raked (sloped) (rows H – Z).

The accessible viewing area is a raised platform in the stalls (row S) at the front of the fixed raked seating in the rear stalls. For standing events, tickets for this area can be selected by clicking ‘Accessible Viewing Area’ in the booking path.

There are clear sightlines to the stage from all seats in the Stalls. The stage will be at roughly eye level for seats on the flat (rows AA – F). The gentle rake will give seats from rows G – Z a good view of the stage over the seats in front. The Lower Tier overhangs the rear stalls (rows T – Z) but doesn’t present any sightline or sound clarity issues.

The following are sold as restricted view seats:

• CC2 – CC6
• CC27 – CC31
• DD2 – DD6
• DD26 – DD30

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Lower Tier

This area of Beacon Hall includes raked (sloped) seating at the rear of the auditorium, side balconies and Choir seating.

There are 6 rows of raked seating at the rear of the Lower Tier (rows A-F).

There are 2 rows of raked seating at the sides of the Lower Tier with seats angled towards the stage. The Stageside is the area in these side balconies that overlooks the stage – this area is not on sale for all events.

Choir seating is a raked seated area behind the stage – this area is not on sale for all events.

Accessible seating is available on the Lower Tier towards the rear of the side balconies. The following seats are reserved for wheelchair users with space for a personal assistant on either side:

• Z1 – Z2
• Z4 – Z5
• Z8 – Z9
• Z11 – Z12

The following are sold as restricted view seats:

• A1 – A28
• A66 – A93
• F59 – F62

These seats are not recommended for children or people with mobility difficulties:

• B1 – B24
• B59 – B84

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Foyle Upper Tier

This area of Beacon Hall includes raked (sloped) seating at the rear of the auditorium and side balconies.

There are 13 rows of raked seating at the rear of the Upper Tier (rows A-M).

There are 2 rows of raked seating at the sides of the Lower Tier with seats angled towards the stage.

Accessible seating is available on the Upper Tier towards the rear of the right side balcony and on both sides of the raked seating. The following seats are reserved for wheelchair users with space for a personal assistant on the right side:

• Z1 – Z2
• Z4 – Z5

The following are sold as restricted view seats:

• A1 – A29
• A64 – A92
• G23 – G26
• G61 – G64
• H23 – H26
• H61 – H64

These seats are not recommended for children or people with mobility difficulties:

• B1 – B26
• B62 – B87

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Lantern Hall is our second performance space with audience capacity from 350 to 500. This historic Victorian hall has been beautifully restored with modern seating and stage technology to create a unique, versatile and intimate space.

Lantern Hall offers three primary formats:

• Standing
• Seated (unallocated or allocated)
• Seated Cabaret

In a seated format, Lantern Hall has flat seating at the front of the auditorium and raked (sloped) seating at the rear.

There are 11 rows of flat seating at the front of Lantern Hall (rows AA-K)

There are 10 rows of raked seating at the rear of Lantern Hall (rows L-V).

Accessible seating is available on the left side of the auditorium as you face the stage. We can accommodate up to 10 wheelchair spaces (rows AA-J).

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The Weston Stage is our atmospheric subterranean brand-new performance space with audience capacity up to 200. The venue has no allocated seating plans and operates in both standing and unallocated seated formats.

The foyer of Bristol Beacon can be transformed into a vibrant performance space. Renamed as Bridgehouse, this space can offer event formats with audience capacities of 200 up to 2,000.

The Bridgehouse stage operates with both standing and unallocated seated formats.

Which part of Beacon Hall sounds the best?

Beacon Hall has been designed with two things in mind: accessibility and sound. Our restored auditorium offers world-class acoustics, no matter what genre of music you’re listening to. Mechanical acoustic baffles suspended from the ceiling can be adjusted to suit a small chamber orchestra, a high volume rock band, or a solo vocalist – so whatever you’re listening to, and wherever you are in the performance space, the sound will be exceptional.

Which seat in Beacon Hall offers the best view of the stage?

The redesigned concert hall has vastly improved sightlines. Seats in the centre rows of the performance space will have an uninterrupted view of the stage, whichever level you’re on. The side balconies offer a view looking down onto the stage and the left side balcony may be preferable for orchestral concerts with a solo pianist.

Seats in the second row of the side balcony may have a slight viewing restriction of the side stage. These seats are not recommended for children or people with mobility difficulties.

Why are the Choir seats not on sale?

The choir seats are raked (sloped) seating behind the stage and are not suitable for all performances. For some performances (e.g. a rock band) these seats would be behind the stage equipment and they will therefore not be on sale. We often do put the choir seats on sale for orchestral or vocal performances, where they offer a unique concert experience.

Are seats available for standing shows?

Yes. For standing shows in Beacon Hall there is fixed raked (sloped) seating at the back of the stalls under the Lower Tier. These seats are unallocated and you can choose a seat in this area with your standing ticket if you wish.

Often the Upper and Lower Tier seating is also on sale for standing shows.

Where do I go if my question isn’t answered here?

These are some of our most frequently asked questions about our venues. If you cannot find the answer to your question, or if you have a question about something else, then view our full FAQs.