New tours for visually impaired fans at Harry Potter tourist attraction

Harry Potter fans with sight loss or visual impairment can now experience a new tactile adventure which has launched at the Warner Bros Studio Tour.

The tourist attraction in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, has partnered with Guide Dogs to create a new accessible experience where visitors with sight loss can touch authentic props, fabrics and magical creatures.

Costumes worn by the infamous Death Eaters and other characters from the fan-favourite film series, as well as fabrics from Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom, will feature in the tour.

Visitors will also be able to get closer to magical creatures by stroking a section of Aragog, the spider’s prickly leg, and they will get to touch the treasure found in Gringotts bank.

The famous Hogwarts castle model has also been transformed into a raised, tactile floorplan so visitors with sight loss can trail their way through their favourite locations using their fingertips.

The introduction of the tactile tours is part of a year-long partnership with Guide Dogs.

Staff at the Studio Tour completed training which included how to approach someone with sight loss, navigate narrow or busy spaces, steps and doorways, within the tour.

The team also received bespoke in-person practical sighted guided training including how to safely guide someone with sight loss with confidence, skill and empathy.

Penny Hefferan and her guide dog Questa visited the Studio Tour to give her feedback on how it could be made more accessible.

“I think the tour will make a big difference because it’s going to give people more choice,” Ms Hefferan, a lived experience officer at Guide Dogs told the PA news agency.

“When you go to see something like this and you know that it’s really focusing on what you need and helping you get as much from it as possible it’s fantastic.”

Ms Hefferan said she “couldn’t stop grinning” when she took the tour because she could feel the costumes and props and could experience the “absolute magic” of the tour.

“I’m really hoping in a few years time that initiatives like this aren’t as unusual,” she added.

Geoff Spooner, senior vice president at Warner Bros Studio Tour London, said: “We’re excited to introduce our new Tactile Tours, where people with a visual impairment can get hands-on to discover how their favourite Harry Potter moments were brought to life through the magic of filmmaking.

“We hope to inspire lasting change throughout the industry and offer a magical experience for everyone that visits us.”

Alex Pepper, head of accessibility at Guide Dogs said: “Over the past year, our partnership with the Studio Tour team has made impactful changes to enhance the experience for visitors with a visual impairment.

“We are supporting Warner Bros Studio Tour London to drive change across the UK attractions industry, making it more accessible for people with sight loss.

“We hope visitors who are blind and partially sighted will feel confident in exploring this great attraction.”