Belgrade Theatre launch new accessible website using Jadu CMS

The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry have successfully launched their new accessible website. Driven by the requirement to conform to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

The new website features many new enhancements and more interactivity for anyone wishing to find out more about the Belgrade, or book tickets for shows online.

Users can now register on the website to receive news and offers about forthcoming activities as well as submit reviews on shows and view Video/Audio excerpts of shows.

There is also an RSS news feed providing the latest news and offers direct to users without the need for them to actually visit the website. The website is also viewable as text only.

The new Jadu content management system gives The Belgrade Theatre's press and marketing departments the ability to easily manage shows and events as well as general publishing of documents, information and multimedia.

The Belgrade Theatre are currently implementing a £10m capital development scheme to redevelop the theatre which includes a seven-storey extension to create a new 300-seat auditorium with flexible staging and seating on three different levels.

Part of this development is to ensure the theatre is accessible to all. Including the website in this initiative means that The Belgrade will provide modern, future proof and accessible entertainment, with information and booking facilities available 24 hours a day.

Antony Flint, Director of Marketing at the Belgrade, was responsible for the implementation of the new Content Management system. He commented,
"We evaluated many CMS systems during the selection process for our new website. The Jadu CMS provided us with everything we needed for simple, non-technical Content Management, as well as a 100% accessible website. Access for all is paramount to the Belgrade and Jadu were able to demonstrate a highly skilled approach to designing for accessibility."
Jadu have a policy of delivering 100% accessible websites for all their CMS implementations.

Suraj Kika, managing Director of Jadu believes that any organisation or business offering the public information, services or products should evaluate their website for accessibility, or face the prospect of alienating a great many customers.

He said, "The DDA has forced the web design industry to look closely at its practices and design techniques. Jadu has made accessibility a policy for all its projects and now the Belgrade Theatre's website not only provides the theatre with freedom to publish but also provides their customers with freedom to view the website without any obstacles."

The implementation of the new content management system took just four weeks and the new website was launched on 25 October 2004.

www.belgrade.co.uk

Published: 30th November 2005