Attending a show or event

We look forward to welcoming you to Bournemouth Pavilion. For up to date event information and event running times (available a few days prior to the event), please visit the show event page on this website. Original tickets remain valid for rescheduled events unless advised. You can access your tickets via your online account.

• Tickets are emailed to you in advance of the show. Please have your etickets/Mobile Tickets ready for inspection on arrival. They can be shown on your mobile device and there is no need to print them, although printed copies will be accepted.
• To assist our staff and for faster entry to our venues, please do not bring large bags with you.
• We are a cashless venue so please use card or contactless payments when making a purchase.
• Please be courteous and act responsibly when visiting the venue.

How can I get to the venue?
Be sure to set aside plenty of time for your journey to the venue; Bournemouth Pavilion has a first come first served cashless car park located at the front of the building. More information can be found on our Parking page. Please check your route if travelling by public transport as this may have recently changed.

Will I be able to buy refreshments?
Yes, our cafés and selected bars will be open for customers to purchase refreshments and snacks. Transactions in the venue will be cashless.

What should I bring?
Please keep your belongings to a minimum and with you at all times. Bag checks may be in operation. Note that there are no cloakroom facilities at Bournemouth Pavilion.

How will my eticket/Mobile Ticket work?
We recommend that tickets are purchased in advance as an eticket/Mobile Ticket. This allows us to help you enter the venue more easily and minimise the amount of time you have to queue. Etickets/Mobile Tickets can be shown on your mobile device, there is no need to print your tickets (although printed copies will be accepted).

What do I do if I haven't received my ticket(s)?
You can access your Mobile Tickets from the My Account section of the website:

• Go to My Account
• Enter your log in details if you aren't already logged in
• Go to Upcoming Events
• Next to the required event click the "View Tickets" button

The on screen tickets can be shown on a mobile device when you arrive for the event.

What time can we go in? What time does the show end?
Doors usually open between 30 minutes before the show starts.

Running times are only approximate, subject to change, and are usually only confirmed a few days before the show. Please check individual event listings for more information.

Do you supply booster seats?

We are not able to provide booster seats for the Pavilion Theatre or Ballroom. You are welcome to bring a pillow / car seat if it safely fits on the seat.

Booking tickets

How can I see What's On?
The best way to see What's On is via this website - you can purchase tickets to shows as well as subscribe to receive the on-sale emails.

Are your Box Offices open?
You can call our Booking Line on 0300 500 0595*. For this week’s opening hours please visit  Ways to book. The venue Box Office will open approximately 2 hours prior to any scheduled event.

*Calls to 0300 numbers are charged the same as a standard rate call

Which payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major debit/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro), Apple and Google Pay and BH Live Gift Vouchers. We do not currently accept American Express.

Do you sell or accept Theatre Tokens?
We do not accept or sell Theatre Tokens at Bournemouth Pavilion.

I was trying to buy seats online but received an error that it would leave a single seat
Our seating maps are designed to not leave unsold single seats. This is because single seats are likely to remain unsold as most bookings contain two or more people. Whilst we appreciate this may be frustrating, we hope it will free up more seats so you and your group are more likely to find seats together.

Do you have seating plans of the venue?

Download Pavilion Theatre seating plan

Download Pavilion Theatre Ballroom seating plan

What does "Restricted View" mean?
This applies to certain seats or seating areas where the sight line is obstructed, say by a handrail, or are positioned at a slightly obscuring angle to the stage. This is due to the diverse nature of our shows which can have complex layouts.

Which are the best seats?
This is a matter of personal preference. In the Circle, you will experience a full overview of the stage. In the Stalls, you will generally be sitting closer to the performance.

What is your child age policy at Bournemouth Pavilion?

• There is no age restriction unless the event is advertised as unsuitable for certain ages, such as an X-rated comedian show.
• All children under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult (ratio 1 adult to supervise a maximum of 10 children)
• Children of 14 years and over do not require an accompanying adult.
• Children under 2 will not be admitted to a performance unless it is identified as a children's show.

Usually, tickets do not need to be purchased for children under 2 unless they intend to occupy a seat separately from the adult accompanying them. However, we reserve the right at our absolute discretion to direct patrons to remove a child under their supervision from a performance where the child is causing disturbance or annoyance to other patrons or performers.

It is strongly recommended that all unaccompanied children remain in the venue until they are collected at the end of the performance.

I'm going to a show at Bournemouth Pavilion - is there a dress code?
The dress code at Bournemouth Pavilion is smart/casual.

Charity Requests & Raffle Prizes
We receive a large amount of requests for charity prizes. We sell tickets on behalf of show promoters, producers and artists which means we don't own the tickets that we sell and are unable to offer these as a donation. If you are wanting to request this, we would recommend contacting the show promoters or artist directly.

Sold out shows, reselling, and exchanges

Can I be added to a waiting list for sold out shows?
We operate a waiting list for people interested in purchasing tickets for an event which is sold out, since changes to event configurations or requirements often make additional seating available. Contact us (see below) for more information on how to be added to the waiting list.

Why are there tickets listed on Viagogo/Facebook/Get Me In etc. when your event has sold out?
We do not list tickets on resale sites. These are listed by customers or ticket touts attempting to resell them, often for personal profit.

Only tickets which are purchased through bournemouthpavilion.co.uk, it's affiliated websites and authorised external ticket agents (e.g. Ticketmaster) will be valid.

We cannot vouch for any tickets that have been bought via unofficial means. If a show cancels or changes date, we would not be able to contact you and any money would be refunded directly to the original customer.

We reserve the right to refuse entry to any patrons who we have reason to believe have acquired their tickets via an unauthorised agent.

We do not approve of the resale of our tickets by persons for monetary profit or other personal gain. We will suspend the use of our services to any customers who we have reason to believe are undertaking, or have undertaken, this practice. The tickets concerned will be invalidated.

I am now unable to attend a show due to extenuating circumstances, what are my options?
Once purchased tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded.

We offer Ticket Protection from Secure My Booking which you can claim against if you are unable to attend for a range of reasons. This must be purchased at the same time as booking your tickets.

You are also welcome to resell your tickets at face value if you are unable to attend. Please consider though that if a show cancels or changes date, we would not be able to contact the new ticket holder. Any communication or refund would be made directly to the original purchaser.

Fees and charges

Why do you charge a transaction fee?
Fees contribute towards the ongoing cost associated with providing ticketing services and technology for our venues. As a social enterprise, we invest these fees back into our business to improve services for our customers.

All ticket prices stated are inclusive of additional fees or charges.

Our transaction fee is added at the checkout and is applied once per transaction.

Cancelled and rescheduled events

My show has been rescheduled – what should I do?
Your tickets will automatically be moved to the new date and original tickets will remain valid. You do not need to contact us.

My show has been cancelled – What should I do?
All affected customers will be emailed with the following options:

• Ticket Donation – you can choose to donate either your whole booking value or a nominal amount to the venue instead of claiming a refund. This allows us to keep us delivering a diverse programme and cultural experiences to our customers, now and in the future.
• Gift Voucher – we can issue your refund as a BH Live gift voucher which can then be used for any future performance on sale through BH Live Tickets.
• If you would prefer a refund, this will be processed back to your credit/debit card.

I took out ticket insurance for a show that has now cancelled. How does this affect me?
As per our terms and conditions, Ticket Protection, which is purchased as an additional item, is non-refundable. More information can be found at www.securemybooking.com

What if I didn’t give you an email address when I booked?
Please contact us to provide an email address.

I haven’t received an email for a rescheduled show.
Please check your junk folder and ensure that bhlive.tickets@bhlive.org.uk is marked as a “safe sender” by your email service provider. If we do not have the most up-to-date email address, please log in to your account. Please note that if you bought your tickets from a ticketing agent, we will not have your contact details to advise you about show changes - you should contact the agent you booked with.

What if my tickets were a gift? Who will you contact?
For data protection reasons, we will only contact the person who made the original booking.

Group Bookings

I’ve got a group booking to make, is there anyone who can help me?
For information regarding Group Bookings for shows at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, please visit our Groups Page

Accessibility

Bournemouth Pavilion welcomes everyone and wants the venue to be accessible to all.

Customers with special seating or access requirements can join our Access Scheme, which enables us to provide the best possible service and seats for customers with accessibility needs. It's free to join and we provide members with a personal service to tell them what's coming up. It also allows members to book accessible seats and wheelchair spaces online, by phone, or in person. Please visit our Access page for more information.

Facilities for Customers with a Disability

General Access
Entry to the building is via a ramp and semi automatic doors. Wheelchair access is possible to the majority of public areas within the Pavilion - with the exception of the Snug Bar, Committee Room, Circle and Circle Bar. Please note that there is no lift from the foyer to the circle. This is assessed via steps only.

In the Auditorium
Position for wheelchairs are located on the flat floor area of the theatre in Row G. Access is not available into the Circle.

Toilet Facilities
There is a modern facility, accessible from the Foyer. There is also a similar facility located on the the Mezzanine level, the level below the Ballroom. This toilet is accessible via the lift and located near to the Lucullus Room.

Car Parking
There are eight wide parking bays for disabled drivers. Much of the car park is relatively flat and there are no steps to negotiate.

Amplification for Customers with Hearing Impairment
The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom are fitted with the Sennheiser Infrared Amplification System. The system receives amplified signals from staged events and transmits them via infrared beams.

Unlike the more traditional loop systems, users require a receiver which can be either worn around the neck and used in conjunction with their own hearing aid (in the T position) or headsets worn directly in ear if they do not have a hearing aid, or their hearing aid does not have a T position.

This system is far superior in that it works in all areas of the hall and is far less likely to produce interference for sound system. However, please note that it is not the same as a traditional "Loop System", so just switching a hearing aid to the "T" position without also using a receiver will not work.

Receivers and headsets are available from the main reception desk in the foyer. We do not ask for a deposit for the use of the equipment but you will be asked to leave your name and address. This information is destroyed when the equipment is returned.

Our staff will be happy to explain how the receivers work.

Guide Dogs & Assistance Dogs
Guide dogs and Assistance Dogs are permitted into all areas of the Pavilion. They are to be kept on a lead at all times and under control. Water is available on request.

Personal Assistant/Essential Companion Tickets
We offer a limited number of complimentary tickets to events at Bournemouth Pavilion for personal assistants accompanying customers with disabilities, where that customer would be unable to attend an event without this person.
Personal assistant tickets are subject to availability and can only be booked by customers registered on our Access Scheme.

Visual Guides
If you have not visited our venue before, please read our visual guide.

Security

Prohibited Items

For your safety and enjoyment, we carefully manage the items that can be brought into the venue for an event. The list below includes examples of prohibited items, please note that this list is not exhaustive and other items may be refused at the point of entry.

• Glass, cans, aluminium bottles or thermoses of any kind including liquid products which can be consumed.
• Flammable liquids in any container
• Laser pens/pointers
• Video cameras, recording devices and professional cameras
• Laptop computers, tablet devices, Go Pro’s or tablets with filming and recording capabilities
• Large/golf/metal tipped umbrellas
• Knives or weapons of any kind
• Illegal drugs or substances
• Alcoholic beverages
• Signs, banners or flags on poles, staffs or selfie sticks
• Animals (except ADUK registered service dogs)
• Air horns, whistles, cowbells or other noise-making distractions
• Projectiles (frisbees, beach balls, footballs etc)
• Aerosol cans (hairspray, deodorant etc )
• Fireworks, confetti, glitter bombs or flares
• Balloons
• Use of wheeled footwear, skateboards
• Food and drinks
• Helmets and full face masks
• Large studs and chains
• Objects like banners, flags, flyers, clothing, and related items that may feature content that could be considered offensive or discriminatory through text, images, or symbols.

Bag Policy

Bags are limited to one per person and be no larger than A4 size (35cm x 40cm x 19cm).

Larger bags are at the discretion of the venue and security team. There are no cloakroom facilities at Bournemouth Pavilion.

Contact us

I’ve emailed but haven’t had a reply
We aim to respond to all correspondence within 5 working days, prioritising enquires regarding imminent shows at Bournemouth Pavilion. Due to the ever-changing nature of the live events industry, response times may take slightly longer than usual - we appreciate your understanding and patience.

I need assistance
For assistance with a query not covered in the help centre please submit a customer enquiry form.

Lost property
For assistance with lost property, please email bicpavlostproperty@bhlive.org.uk