Partnership Between Studio Tour London and Guide Dogs

(eap) Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and the charity Guide Dogs have entered into a year-long partnership committed to providing optimal accessibility for visually impaired and blind people. As part of the partnership, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is taking on the partnership for three puppies to be trained as guide dogs. They have been named after the three main characters of the well-known film series – the Gryffindors “Harry”, “Ron” and “Hermione”. Furthermore, there will be various initiatives for employees and visitors. These include special training courses for employees, iPads to make the signage easier to read and a designated area for the needs of the guide dogs outside the facility.

Guide dogs and assistance dogs have been welcomed in the Studio Tour since it opened in 2012. Also, audio-descriptive tours are available on request. The cooperation with Guide Dogs is intended to serve as a model for other visitor attractions and encourage the industry to be more inclusive.

“We are delighted to welcome all visitors to the Studio Tour for a behind-the-scenes look at their favourite Harry Potter scenes and how they were magically brought to life by the filmmakers. Our partnership with Guide Dogs underlines our commitment to becoming a best practice example of accessibility for people with visual impairments at UK attractions. We also hope that this will be a game changer across the industry,” stated Geoff Spooner, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. ■