There are four of us and no switchboard. Esme Cardew answers the box office phone and deals with tickets, access, bookings and every band who sends a link — she replies to all of them, usually inside a fortnight. Nadia Okonkwo runs the building and takes hire enquiries, viewings and the monthly tours; if you want to talk about a wedding or a date, it is her you want. Wilf Brannigan is head of sound and the person to send a rider to, and he would genuinely rather have it three weeks early than three days. Tomás Reyes runs both bars and the late licence. Nobody here works from a script, and if we cannot help we will tell you who can.

Fourteen Ravenscliffe Road, Halifax, HX1 2QD. It is the building with the lit sign, which is the only one left on that side of town, and the box office window is to the right of the main doors under the marquee. From the station it is nine minutes on foot: out of the front, left along Horton Street, then up the hill. Step-free access is through the side doors on the same street — ring the bell and somebody will come, and on show nights they are simply open. If you are driving, the Portland Street multi-storey is four minutes away and free after six. Deliveries and get-ins go to the loading doors on the same side, at street level, and there is no lift because there has never needed to be one.

Step-free from the pavement to the back of the stalls through the Ravenscliffe Road side doors, four wheelchair spaces on the flat with a clear view of the stage, and an accessible toilet on the same level. Ring rather than booking online and Nadia will hold a space along with a free ticket for whoever comes with you — no forms, no proof, no awkward questions. Assistance dogs are welcome anywhere in the building and both bars keep water for them. The balcony is up thirty-one stairs with no lift and we will not pretend otherwise; if the stairs are a problem we will move you to the front rail downstairs for the same money. Tell us what you need and we will tell you honestly whether we can do it.

Riders, stage plans and input lists go to Wilf, and three weeks early is a great deal more useful than three days. Booking enquiries go to Esme with a link and the dates you can travel; she replies to everything, usually inside a fortnight, and the answer is often no with a reason rather than silence. Press and photo passes go through Esme too and we say yes to nearly everybody, including people writing for a blog nobody has heard of, because that is how most of this month’s bill got booked in the first place. The full technical specification is a PDF and we will send it the same day you ask. Deliveries and get-ins are at street level on the same side of the building.