Accessibility

We look forward to welcoming you to Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival 2026. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our customers.

Here you will find details of the accessible facilities available at the festival, as well as information about attending as an accessibility customer. A site plan, showing the location of all our facilities, will be made available at a later date.

Please note, there is no separate Accessible Ticket type. Please buy a standard ticket first and then apply for additional accessible facilities. There is no need to buy a ticket for your Essential Companion.

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Before applying for the use of accessible facilities.

You need to have bought your Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival ticket before you apply. (Please note that there is no separate ‘accessibility’ ticket category).

Please do not buy a ticket for your essential companion. Essential companion tickets are allocated through the application process.

You will also need either to have a Nimbus Access Card or Digital Access Pass from one of the Live Nation events listed on the Nimbus website. If you don’t have one, you can register with Nimbus for a free Digital Access Pass.

Please note that registering for a Nimbus Access Card or Digital Access Pass is not the same as applying for the use of accessible facilities at the festival. You must still complete the application form once you have your Nimbus Access Card or Digital Access Pass.

Applying for the use of accessible facilities

• Have your ticket booking reference and your Nimbus Access Card or Digital Access Pass ready.
• Complete the Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival Accessible Facilities application form (link coming soon)
• The Reading Accessibility Team will review your application.
• You’ll receive an email once it’s processed. The email will tell you what facilities you are approved to use. You should get the email within 5 working days.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the Reading Accessibility Team.

Notes on completing the application form

• Please make sure you enter your personal details on the application form exactly as they appear on your Nimbus Access Card or Digital Access Pass. This includes the spelling of your name(s). If they don’t match exactly, it may delay your application being processed.
• Each accessibility customer wishing to apply for use of the accessible facilities should submit an individual application. Please do not include more than one person per application. This helps us ensure that everyone in your group gets the facilities they require.

Temporary impairments

Please note that our accessible facilities are unable to cater for people with temporary impairments. A temporary impairment is anything that affects an individual for less than 12 months such as broken bones, healing injuries or pregnancy. If you have a question relating to a temporary impairment, please contact the Reading Customer Service Team.

An essential companion ticket is provided, free of charge, to those customers who would be unable to attend without the help and support of another person.

Please do not purchase a ticket for your essential companion. These are allocated through the application process.

Your essential companion must be aged 18 or over. They must be willing and able to perform all your requirements and must provide assistance to you during the unlikely event of an evacuation or other emergency.

If your essential companion wishes to bring a child into the festival, then the child must be accompanied by another adult who has purchased a ticket.

If the customer approved for an essential companion is a child of 12 years or under, they must also be accompanied by an adult that has purchased a ticket. The child cannot attend the festival with the essential companion alone.

If you need different people to assume the role of your essential companion throughout the festival, please indicate this your application in the Additional Information section.

ACCESSIBLE VIEWING AREAS

There are various accessible viewing areas available within the arena.

Raised Viewing Platform

• Raised viewing platforms are available for wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility. Access to the platforms will be approved as part of your application.
• Only the approved customer and their essential companion (or friend) will have access to the raised viewing platform. This allows us to accommodate as many customers, who require use of this facility, as possible.
• All raised viewing platforms have ramped access, wheelchair-accessible toilets, charging points, and drinking water, and a dedicated platform manager.
• Limited seating is also available at each platform. We will be providing chairs that have a load-bearing capacity of 250 pounds (approximately 18 stone). If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please contact the Reading Accessibility Team.
• Raised viewing platforms may get busy. Please note that these are operated on a first come first served basis.
• The raised viewing platforms are not covered so please dress appropriately for all weather conditions.

Ground Viewing Area

• Dedicated ground viewing areas are available to for those who need a less crowded area and the option of sitting for short periods of time. Access to the ground viewing area will be approved as part of your application.
• The ground viewing areas are situated in front of the raised viewing platforms and are separated from the main crowds by a barrier. These are primarily standing areas, although limited seating is available and is operated on a first come first served basis. We will be providing chairs that have a load-bearing capacity of 250 pounds (approximately 18 stone). If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please contact the Reading Accessibility Team.
• Only the approved customer and their essential companion (or friend) will have access to the ground viewing areas. This allows us to accommodate as many customers, who require use of this facility, as possible.

ACCESSIBLE TOILETS

Wheelchair accessible and standard toilets for accessibility customers are located within the accessible viewing areas. They are available to all accessibility customers and their essential companions.

CHANGING PLACES

In the arena, there is a changing places unit featuring an adult changing bed, toilet, sink, and hoist. (Please note that hoist slings will not be available. Please remember to bring your own.)

ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE LANES

There are dedicated entrance lanes for accessibility customers to access the arena.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION HUB

There is an information hub in the arena and for accessibility customers, staffed by our dedicated team.

SENSORY CALM SPACE

There is a Sensory Calm Tent located onsite. The aim of this space is to provide a safe, low-level stimulation and recalibration zone for any customers who need to use it.

BARS AND MERCHANDISE STALLS

Dedicated accessible lanes and accessible serving areas are available at each main bar and merchandise stall.

You can bring prescription medication to the festival but please ensure it is in the original packaging with the dispensary sticker intact.

If you need to bring in loose medication or medication that’s not in its original packaging, please also bring the prescription(s) with you.

Refrigerated medication storage is available in the accessible campsite and arena.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA‍

• Medical marijuana prescribed for daily use may be brought into the event.
• Please bring the medication in its prescribed form together with the original prescription supporting its use for the entire duration of your time at the event. You may be asked to present this, along with identification matching the name on the prescription, upon entry.

FOOD

All Reading customers are permitted to bring a small amount of food for personal consumption into the arena.

Accessibility customers are permitted to bring additional food in excess of the usual amount into the arena.

(This increased allowance applies to accessibility customers only and not to essential companions or friends and family.)

DRINK

All Reading customers are permitted to bring a sealed, unopened 500ml bottle of water or soft drink into the arena.

Accessibility customers are permitted to bring one sealed, unopened bottle up to 1.5l of water or soft drink into the arena.

(This increased allowance applies to accessibility customers only and not to essential companions or friends and family.)

For security reasons, we ordinarily only permit customers to bring a small bag (A4 size) into the arena.

Accessibility customers are entitled to bring a bigger bag into the arena (one bag only per accessibility customer).

Our accessible campsite is located close to the arena and has its own dedicated entrance. 

If you require accessible camping you will need to please select this option when completing your Reading Accessible Facilities Application form.

FACILITIES

There is a dedicated accessibility team and stewards based in the campsite to assist you during your stay as well as with your bags on arrival.

The following facilities are available within this campsite:

• A dedicated accessibility information hub
• Wheelchair accessible and standard gender neutral toilets
• Wheelchair accessible and standard gender neutral showers.
• Accessible routes
• Changing places unit featuring an adult changing bed, toilet, sink and hoist. (Please note that hoist slings will not be available. Please remember to bring your own.)
• Charging facilities for wheelchairs and medical equipment.
• Accessible sink and drinking water points.
• Secure cold fridge to store medication.
• Essential electric power supply (if requested and approved)
• A Get Ready with Me (GRWM) station
• Food trader

ARRIVAL

• We provide an internal transport service to the accessible campsite.
• The accessibility team will also be available to help you transport your luggage from the car park to the campsite.

PITCH SIZE, GROUP SIZE AND GAZEBOS

We aim to accommodate as many customers as possible in the accessible campsite. To assist us with this, please be aware of the following:

• Please be respectful of your fellow campers and only bring tents appropriate for the size of your party.
• You will be permitted to camp with a maximum of three other people (this includes your essential companion).
• You may be asked to move or remove your gazebo if it is taking up too much space. We ask that you consider fellow campers when pitching your gazebo.

ACCESSIBLE CAMPERVANS

There is a dedicated accessible campervan area within the accessible campsite.

If you want to bring a campervan, please select this option in your Reading Accessible Facilities Application form. Once your application has been approved, the accessibility team will send you a link to purchase an accessible campervan pass (subject to availability).

• Campervan spaces are limited and sold on a first come first serve basis.
• Campervan tickets are supplementary to your festival ticket.
• You will be given a pitch measuring approximately 6m x 7m.
• Only one campervan ticket is required per pitch.

The general campsites are located further from the arena than the accessible campsite. More information about other campsites at Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival is available on the ‘Accommodation’ webpage.

We do not handle the hire of mobility scooters directly. Please make your own arrangements with your chosen provider.

BSL INTERPRETING SERVICES

A British Sign Language performance interpreting service will be provided on request and at no extra charge, providing reasonable notice is given in advance of the festival.

Please make sure you request this service on the Reading Accessible Facilities Application form.

Customers who have requested this service will be contacted by the interpreting team for an understanding of which performances they would like covered; this is not guaranteed and subject to change.

HEARING LOOPS

Hearing loops will be installed at the Accessibility box offices and information hubs.

Assistance dogs will be approved on a case by case basis by the accessibility team. If you want to bring an assistance dog, please request this in your application. Your request will be reviewed by the accessibility team and we will let you know if it is approved.

A spending area will be available for assistance dogs.

ACCESSIBLE CAR PARKING

Accessible parking can be requested as part of your application.

The accessible car parks are located in close proximity to the accessible campsite and the arena:

• Accessible parking must be requested on your application form.
• Blue badge holders do not automatically qualify for accessible parking. This must be requested on your Reading Accessible Facilities Application form.
• Accessible parking is limited to 1 parking pass per accessiblity customer.
• By way of clarification, friends and family arriving in separate vehicles will not be able to park in the accessible car park and will need to park in the general car parks.
• Pink Moon customers should follow the parking instructions included with their package.

Please note that parking is extremely limited at Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival, and we encourage customers to use public transport where possible.

If you chose to travel to the festival using public transport, there is a shuttle bus stop at Reading Train Station North Interchange on Trooper Pots Way. This will then drop you at Thameside Promenade Car Park which is by Red Gate. All buses are accessible, however please note that some buses only have one wheelchair space (others have two).

Alternative Blue Badge parking may also available in Reading. Information about Blue Badge parking in the local area can also be found on the Reading Borough Council Parking webpage.

DROP OFF PASSES

If you are being dropped off at and picked up from Pepsi MAX presents Reading Festival, please let us know in your application form. We will then send you a pass so you can be dropped off and picked up in the accessible car park. This will be sent closer to the festival date and will need to be clearly displayed on your dashboard when arriving to the accessible car park.

There will be a shuttle service for the benefit of accessibility customers. This will run between designated points around the site. More details of the routes and bus stop locations will be provided nearer the festival. Seating will be available at each shuttle bus stop.

Please note that the buggies cannot enter the arena.

ACCESSIBILITY GUIDE

Customers who have applied and been processed for accessible facilities will be sent an Accessibility Guide prior to the event.

GROUND CONDITIONS / WEATHER

The site has the benefit of existing hard standing and temporary trackway routes, in certain areas.

However, please be aware that the festival primarily takes place on grass fields with some sloping areas.

It is also important to be aware that, during wet weather, the site is likely to become muddy and become more difficult to navigate.

EFFECT LIGHTING

Smoke machines, strobe lights, lasers, fireworks, and other effects may be in use at this event. Anyone affected by these should bear this in mind.

MEDICAL AND WELFARE

Medical and welfare facilities are available throughout the festival.

Doctors, paramedics, first aiders, and fully equipped ambulances are based at the medical centre.

SECURITY AND STEWARDS

In the unlikely event of an emergency or site evacuation, Security and Stewards are deployed throughout the festival. They will assist in moving everybody to a place of safety.

They are also briefed to offer information, help and support.

If you are unwell or require assistance, please approach a member of the Security and Stewarding Team who are clearly identifiable by their numbered tabards/shirts.

If you have any queries that aren’t answered here, we have a dedicated Accessibility Team working all year round to assist customers. Please don’t hesitate to contact them using the Reading Accessibility Contact Form.