Access Statement
If you have any questions, so that we can make your time more suitable and enjoyable with us, please contact the Butterfly Farm before your visit. Tel: 01789 299288 or Email: enquiries@butterflyfarm.co.uk
Parking: The Butterfly Farm has five onsite bays for blue badge users to use for free for the duration of their visit to the Butterfly Farm only. It cannot be booked and is on a first come first served basis.
If the onsite bays are unavailable you may drop off and pick up from the entrance driveway.
There are car parks close by offering free unlimited parking for blue badge users: Car Park Information.
Access: There is a short area upon entrance which is gravel, there is then level access along a wide hard surface path to the entrance with double doors which open easily into a large open plan gift shop, reception and education area. If the doors are closed a member of staff will assist.
Reception: The Reception desk does not have a lower area but there are plenty of staff available to help and explain your visit. There is low level hand sanitiser provided at reception.
Gift Shop: Plenty of space to move around and reach goods on display with easy to read price labels. Staff available to assist.
Moving around: As you go into the Flight Area there are double vertical plastic screens. These open easily and are also found as you enter and exit the Discovery Zone, Minibeast Metropolis and back into the Gift Shop. There are hard surface level paths in all areas.
Accessible toilet: This is found within the Discovery Zone and also has a baby change facility.
Quieter times: if you prefer a quieter visit it is recomended to book your visit either during term time when it is likely to be quieter; or at weekends and school holidays after 3PM in spring and summer or after 2PM in the winter months. If you need advise on a quieter visit, please email enquiries@butterflyfarm.co.uk
Assistance dogs: Assistance dogs with an identifying harness are welcome at the Butterfly Farm; however they cannot enter the Flight Area due to it being an unsuitable environment for them.
If you are visiting with an assistance dog, please call in advance so that a member of staff can be made available to supervise your dog and offer further assistance to enable you to enjoy your visit to the Butterfly Farm.
Assistance dogs with an identifying harness are welcome at the Butterfly Farm; however they cannot enter the Flight Area due to it being an unsuitable environment for them.
Assistance Dog Policy 2024
Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is committed to making sure our attraction is inclusive and accessible to all and we understand that some customers will rely on an assistance dogs to visit the Butterfly Farm.
Stratford-upon-Avon is a tropical, humid environment and home to free roaming butterflies, birds and iguanas. The health and safety of these resident animals is of primary importance. Allowing any non-resident animals into the butterfly farm can increase the health and safety risks and cause distress to the resident animals. In addition, the attraction is warm, humid, and at times very busy with visitors, creating an unpleasant and distressing environment for animals. For these reasons, we do not permit our visitors to bring in animals with them.
Currently, there is no official register for assistance dogs in the UK. Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm have researched on how we can best ensure accessibility to our attraction and support and accommodate any visitors who need to be accompanied by an assistance dog, whilst also adhering to health and safety regulations.
We therefore offer our visitors who are considering bringing an assistance dog to the Butterfly Farm that you may bring a carer to accompany you, and the carer may have free entrance to the butterfly farm. By following the procedure below a member of staff will look after the assistance dog in the front staff office for up to 90 minutes whilst the visitor is inside the Butterfly Farm with their carer.
- On arrival at the Butterfly Farm you will be asked to complete an assistance dog request form. Please see example below. This must be completed before you enter the Flight Area with your carer.
- Your form will be reviewed by a Manager or Front of House Supervisor. If the request is approved, you will be asked to accompany your assistance dog with a staff member to the office and make sure the dog is settled before leaving it with a member of staff.
- Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm reserves the right to turn away dogs at the gate who do not comply with this process or meet the requirements of an assistance animal.
Assistance dogs are trained to support disabled people and people with medical conditions in a variety of ways. Assistance Dogs are not Therapy Dogs or Emotional Support Dogs. Assistance Dogs are auxiliary aids and are not pets. (www.assistancedogs.org.uk).
The Equality Act 2010, (EA2012 section 173) lays out that in relation to protecting the rights of disabled people accessing private hire transport, an Assistance dog means:
(a) a dog which has been trained to guide a blind person;
(b) a dog which has been trained to assist a deaf person;
(c) a dog which has been trained by a prescribed charity to assist a disabled person who has a disability that consists of epilepsy or otherwise affects the person’s mobility, manual dexterity, physical coordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects;
(d) a dog of a prescribed category which has been trained to assist a disabled person who has a disability (other than one falling within paragraph (c)) of a prescribed kind.
The Butterfly Farm therefore asks that you confirm that your assistance dog:
- Is highly trained
- Will not wander freely around the premises
- Will not try and leave the office whilst under the supervision of Butterfly Farm staff.
- Will sit or lie quietly on the floor next to a member of Butterfly Farm staff.
- Is trained to go to the toilet on command and is unlikely to foul in a public place. Please tick to confirm
Due to the nature of the venue you are attending and the fact that you are leaving your assistance dog under the supervision of a member of Butterfly Farm staff, please confirm your assistance dog:
- Will be wearing a lead or a harness.
- Is highly trained and will not pull, lunge or be alarmed by loud and sudden noises.
- Will not bark or try and bite the supervising member of staff. Please tick to confirm
- Is your Assistance Dog is registered with ADUK? YES/NO If yes please provide a copy of the ADUK Identification Booklet.
Name of Assistance dog:___________________________________________________
Name of owner:____________________________________________________________
Signature of owner:________________________________________________________
Address of owner:_______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact number:__________________________________________________________
Date of Visit:______________________________________________________________
For visitors requiring information regarding accessibility & inclusion in Stratford-upon-Avon, please visit the website 'My' Accessible Stratford-upon-Avon for lots of useful information and downloadable guide.