MAIN PRIDE PARADE ROUTE
The main Pride Parade route starts at the green spaces in front of St John’s Church. From there we travel between the buildings to the war Memorial and turn left to face HSBC. There is a crossing there indicated by tactile paving, which we will use to cross the road. We will then turn left again and go down Silver Street to enter the Quedam by Les Amis.
The parade then travels down the Quedam as far as HMV and JD Sports, where we turn right to go through Frederick’s Place. (We would have liked to have gone further down the Quedam but owing to the fenced off areas due to unsafe buildings in the lower part of Middle Street this was not possible). As we join Middle Street by Tui we will turn right and go up the hill, staying on the right-hand side of the pavement and continuing up past Marks and Spencer until we reach HSBC again. We will then use the crossing indicated by the tactile paving to the left to cross to by Burger King.
We will then follow the pavement along the left of High Street, passing Marcus Fysh’s office and what used to be Argos and Beales to the Millennium Clock. The parade continues down the left-hand side of the pavement along side the very top part of Henford which is Pedestrian Zone. We cross the road, keeping to the left to pass in front of the Butchers Arms, all the way to the Job Centre where we need to cross another road opposite Prestleigh House, again indicated by tactile paving. We continue down past Albert Goodman and follow the pavement round to the left as it joins Brunswick Street. There is a traffic light controlled crossing here which we will use to cross to the other side of the road, then turning right and following the pavement round to the left to head down in to Goldenstones. As we move through Goldenstones we will meet the Ninesprings trail, turning left to end up at our destination on the green space behind the Café.
ACCESSIBLE ROUTE ALTERNATIVES
The Accessible Route Alternatives provide additional options for disabled people who may find the elevation in the Quedam / Middle Street, and then Brunswick Street too steep to be able to navigate safely. We have dedicated Accessible Route stewards who will be taking care of everyone wishing to use either of the route alternatives, making sure no-one is left behind.
The first alternative is for people to wait at the war Memorial while the Main Pride Parade does the small loop of the Quedam and Middle Street. As the Main Pride Parade crosses the road between HSBC and Burger King, the Accessible Route stewards will let those with them know that the parade is approaching, and guide them over to the zebra crossing, enabling them to join the parade where ever they feel comfortable between Bet Fred and Costa Coffee. Whether you want to be front and centre leading the way just behind the lead steward, bringing up the rear or somewhere in between, we will make space for you where you will be most comfortable – just let us know!
The second alternative is for people to use the series of traffic lights at the bottom of Henford, going to the right and then left to end up in front of Cooper’s Mill. From there they will follow the path around to the right and go around the back of the pub to join up with the main Ninesprings Trail, continuing along it until they reach the destination of the green space behind the Café. This avoids the steep descent into Goldenstones carpark and has a much gentler gradient. However, there are some strong tree roots that have disturbed and broken up the tarmac along these paths.
Both the Main Parade Route and route using the Accessible Route Alternatives are about 0.8 miles.
Finally we have our Accessibility Guide, which you can down by clicking the link below. It outlines the various steps we have taken and options available for people with different needs. If you need further information to make sure the routes are suitable for you individually, we are happy to provide photos of potential obstacles along the routes that we have identified. As ever, if you have any questions regarding accessibility, or any aspect of the Yeovil Does Pride, please do not hesitate to contact us through social media, our website or by email.