Shopmobility – Gloucester

Shopmobility – Gloucester

by Christian Drewitt | Gloucester, Transport

Shopmobility | 5th December 2017

The Shopmobility office which is located on Hampden Way just off Eastgate Street. The surrounding areas, pavements etc leading to the office were okay but a little uneven.

I originally emailed Shopmobility on an email address that I found on the Gloucestershire Gov website to enquire about their services and to get an application form to which I had no response. I went down to the office instead, there is a ramp which leads into the office which was perfectly suitable for my wheelchair. The office however was quite small and not very easy for me to navigate my wheelchair around.

The equipment is kept under a shelter outside during the day, they have mobility scooters, powered wheelchairs and manual wheelchairs available to hire. It is the responsibility of the customer and/or carer to transfer themselves into the appropriate equipment.

The shop assistant advised me that there was a transfer banana board available. However, when I asked to view this they couldn’t find it in the store room. There was also a side transfer ramp available.

Personally as a permanent wheelchair user I wouldn’t feel comfortable transferring and using the Shopmobility equipment but I would recommend this service for the elderly and less mobile to assist them with getting around.

Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post Ibis Hotel Next Post Grill Shed →

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Gloucester Cathedral 2024

Gloucester Cathedral 2024

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BIGLOO

BIGLOO

BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...

Ibis Hotel

Ibis Hotel

by Christian Drewitt | Gloucester, Hotels, Recommended Venues

Ibis | 28th November 2017

Parking

There are six accessible parking spaces located right at the front of the building with easy access into the hotel.

Customer Service

Shanique was very helpful and happy to show me around one of the accessible rooms. The hotel staff had to find a clean room for me to take a look at and this was no bother for them.

Accessibility

There is a flat entrance with a large automatic door into the reception area. The reception point was quite high with no low access point but the staff came round to speak with us.

Most of the rooms in the hotel are accessible due to the lift and they’re all quite spacious but there are seven specific accessible rooms with the large wet room and handrails for assistance with transfers, they also have a deaf guard facility. The room that I viewed was on the third floor, this was easy to get to in the lift.

The wet room and the bedroom are both very big and easy to navigate around. The bed was low down and not too high to make it easy to transfer from a wheelchair.

They also offer a vibrating pillow for the deaf in case of emergency.

Restaurant/Café

There was a café area on the ground floor near to the reception which was fully accessible. The restaurant is open from 6am until 10pm and the bar is open until midnight.

Lift

All floors can be accessed via the lift, the lift was large enough for the hotel assistant, my PA and I to all use at the same time. However, it was too small for me to turn the wheelchair around in. The lift buttons were all easy to reach for a wheelchair user

Accessibility Rating

(five out of five stars)

← Previous Post Christmas Market at Gloucester Quays Next Post Shopmobility - Gloucester →

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Springbank Community Resource Centre

Springbank Community Resource Centre

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BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...

Christmas Market at Gloucester Quays

Christmas Market at Gloucester Quays

by Christian Drewitt | Attraction, Gloucester, Leisure

16th November 2017 – 24th December 2017

I visited the Christmas market at Gloucester Quays where there are lots of nice stalls selling Christmas items and food. It is a great atmosphere and I would recommend a visit. There is also an ice rink next to the market, read about it here!

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Parking

There are plenty of accessible parking spaces located in the Quays car park where you can park for free for up to four hours with a blue badge. It is about a five minute journey in a wheelchair from the car park down to the ice rink. Read Gloucester Quays parking review here

Accessibility

The accessibility around the market was good and I was able to access all areas in my wheelchair. All of the stalls were accessible and I was able to view the items on sale. Some of them were quite high but the stall assistants were happy to come round and help if required.

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There are a few ramps around the market to help you get around and leading up to the two bar areas.

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Toilets

There are some temporary portable toilets with an accessible toilet however, the facilities in the toilet weren’t great and it was very small. There are also the toilets inside the Gloucester Quays shopping centre which have excellent disabled facilities. Read my full review here

Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays Next Post Ibis Hotel →

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BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...

Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays

Ice Rink at Gloucester Quays

by Christian Drewitt | Attraction, Gloucester, Leisure

Ice Rink | 15th November 2017

I was lucky enough to be invited to the VIP launch event for Gloucester Quays festive ice rink.

The temporary ice rink is located in the docks between 16^th November-2^nd January, there is also a Victorian and enchanted German market running between 16^th November and 24^th December.

This is a great activity for families and they are also very accommodating for people with disabilities.

Parking

There are plenty of accessible parking spaces located in the Quays car park where you can park for free for up to four hours with a blue badge. It is about a five minute journey in a wheelchair from the car park down to the ice rink.

Accessibility

My experience on the ice rink was great as a wheelchair user, you are able to use a manual wheelchair on the ice but electric wheelchairs are not permitted. If you don’t have a manual wheelchair you can hire one free of charge from Gloucester Quays.

The ice rink is a decent size and is quite safe to skate around on in a wheelchair. If you are not a confident skater they can offer supportive shoes which can be worn over the top of your own shoes instead of skates.

There is a ramp leading up to the rink entrance with easy access to the ice and there is also a spacious fitting room where you can swap your shoes for skates. There is a small step getting onto the ice this is easy to navigate with a manual wheelchair.

Customer Service

I was invited by Hazel to attend the launch night she was very friendly and helpful and answered all of my questions. Another staff member kindly pushed me around on the ice for a little while.

Toilets

There are some temporary portable toilets with an accessible toilet however, the facilities in the toilet weren’t great and it was very small. There are also the toilets inside the Gloucester Quays shopping centre which have excellent disabled facilities. Read my full review here

Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post So Thai Next Post Christmas Market at Gloucester Quays →

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BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...

So Thai

So Thai

by Christian Drewitt | Gloucester, Restaurants

So Thai | 21st November 2017

Parking

So Thai is located on Longsmith street just outside Gloucester city centre. The closest car park is Ladybellgate street which is a two-minute walk from the restaurant.

Accessibility

Access to the restaurant isn’t very good, there is a sharp lip in the doorway which I couldn’t get my wheelchair over without assistance from my PA and two members of staff.

The tables in the restaurant were quite tight and weren’t easy for me to get my wheelchair underneath. This made it difficult when eating my meal.

There is another seating area downstairs which is inaccessible for a wheelchair user.

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Customer Service

Although the accessibility wasn’t good the staff were all willing to help and were cooperative to try and make my experience an enjoyable one. They helped lift my wheelchair into the building and brought the card machine over to my table to pay so that I was able to do this myself.

Toilets

The toilets are all downstairs so no good for a wheelchair user or somebody who is able bodied. There is also no disabled toilet.

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Accessibility Rating

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Hubble Bubble

Hubble Bubble

by Christian Drewitt | Gloucester, Restaurants

Hubble Bubble | 15th November 2017

Parking

The café is located on Westgate street therefore there is no customer parking but there are plenty of public car parks around the city centre. I parked in the Ladybellgate street car park which is about a five minute journey in a wheelchair.

Accessibility

There is a flat entrance leading into the building with a wide accessible door. The café area was quite cramped and it was hard for me to find a suitable table for my wheelchair. They don’t operate by table service and you are required to order at the counter which wasn’t easy to get to if you are a wheelchair user.

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Customer Service

The staff were friendly and polite but perhaps could have offered more help to assist someone in a wheelchair.

Toilets

There is no disabled toilet within the building.

Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post Gloucester Prison Next Post So Thai →

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Gloucester Prison

Gloucester Prison

by Christian Drewitt | Attraction, Gloucester, Recommended Venues

Gloucester Prison | 3rd November 2017

Jailhouse tours organise the tour of Gloucester prison. The tours are conducted by ex-prison officers who share their interesting stories from when they worked at the prison. I found it very interesting learning all about the history of the prison and would definitely recommend a tour. They have development plans to turn this into flats in April 2018 so get booked if quick while you have the chance. Here is an artist impression of what they think the flats will look like.

Parking

There is no customer parking however there is a public car park on Ladybellegate street which is a five minute walk from the venue.

Accessibility

There is a ramp leading to the venue with double doors and there is a small reception point before entering the prison.
There are a few restricted areas due to stairs and the age of the building which I have highlighted in green on the map, I was able to access the first floor in B wing but the rest was inaccessible due to the stairs.

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However, I was able to view most of the tour in my wheelchair. My guide advised me that we had to take a different route due to my wheelchair so before booking if you are in a wheelchair, advise a member of staff so they can accommodate for you.

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There were quite a few tight corners and doorways, I was able to get around in my wheelchair but if you are in a wider wheelchair this may be an issue.

I was able to get a good insight into what life may have been like as a prisoner as I was able to view inside some of the cells and most areas to the prison.

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Customer Service

When I emailed to enquire, Paul responded very quickly and was happy for me to assess the venue. Lucy gave me the tour of the prison on the day she was very informative polite and friendly and answered all of my questions.

Toilet

There was a disabled toilet but it was very old and there was no handrails so personally wouldn’t recommend it for a wheelchair user. The soap and hand dryer were also too high for a wheelchair user.

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Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post Kingsholm Rugby Stadium Next Post Hubble Bubble →

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Kingsholm Rugby Stadium

Kingsholm Rugby Stadium

by | Attraction, Gloucester, Recommended Venues

Kingsholm | 31st October 2017

Parking

On match days the car park is closed to the general public, they offer a park and ride bus service from St Oswalds Tesco which is organised by the stadium, which runs every 10 to 15 minutes.

Accessibility

The disabled access gate is gate 3C, where a ramp is laid down for easy access, however you are able to use any of the gates if you wish.

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There are two standing zones and two seating zones surrounding the stadium. The standing zones are inaccessible for wheelchair users, but the front rows of the seating zones are all designated disabled seats, with the row behind designated for carers and family members. The view from these seats gives a wheelchair user a great view of the action.

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There is also a viewing platform for disabled fans, this was more secluded so therefore would be better for people who wanted to get away from the crowds and noise.

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I was shown around all areas of the stadium including the bars, hospitality suites and corporate areas. There are also lots of food stands selling things like pasties and hot dogs. Workers on the stands are advised to go around and take an order from a disabled fan if they can’t hear over the noise of the crowds.

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I was shown around the private boxes for the corporate fans the rooms were very posh with excellent views of the pitch and all accessible for wheelchair users.

Customer Service

I emailed Helen Grayer the operations co-ordinator to discuss the possibility of assessing the stadium, she responded very quickly and was very helpful. When I met Helen for the assessment she was very thorough with the tour of the stadium and explained every detail and all of the facilities they offer for the disabled.

On arrival I was greeted by Lisa at reception who was also very friendly and welcoming.

Toilets

There are lots of disabled toilets located around the stadium and on every floor. I assessed a few of them and all of were satisfactory.

They were all large enough for a wheelchair to turn around in safely and for a PA or family to assist. All of the facilities, sink, handrail etc were in a good position for a wheelchair user.

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Lift

There were two sets of lifts within the stadium, both were large enough to turn around in safely. The buttons were easy to reach for a wheelchair user.

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Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post Spookday Next Post Gloucester Prison →

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BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...

Spookday

Spookday

by Christian Drewitt | Gloucester, Restaurants

Spookday | 27th October 2017

This is a Halloween event for kids which is held every year at Over Farm Market. They also have a night time attraction for adults however this is not accessible for wheelchairs.

Spookday is a fun day out for kids and families however the accessibility was limited

Parking

There were no designated accessible parking spaces, if you speak to the car park attendants know on arrival they will assign you a spot close to the entrance.

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Accessibility

The walk down from the car park wasn’t very good for a wheelchair user, it was uneven and muddy. This was to be expected considering the location is in a field. The uneven terrain continued around the rest of the attraction.
A lot of the activities were interactive and not really suitable for someone in a wheelchair, but there were some shows going on throughout the day which were more suitable and were good fun for kids.

Toilet

There was a accessible portable toilet, but there was no hand rail and I would not have taken the risk to transfer using these facilities.

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Accessibility Rating

← Previous Post Prinknash Bird & Deer Park Next Post Kingsholm Rugby Stadium →

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Springbank Community Resource Centre

Springbank Community Resource Centre

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Gloucester Cathedral 2024

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BIGLOO

BIGLOO

BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...

Prinknash Bird & Deer Park

Prinknash Bird & Deer Park

by Christian Drewitt | Attraction, Gloucester

Prinknash | 25^th October 2017

I visited Prinknash Bird and Deer park following an article I read online regarding an incident with an autistic gentleman. Melanie Meigh announced she was going to hike carer tickets up from £3 to the full ticket price. Please take a look at the article in the link below where you will see the attitude towards the disabled community is not a pleasant one.. Read the article here

Parking

There are two accessible parking spaces in the main car park, then there is a five minute journey (as a wheelchair user) down to the visitor centre. However this is down a steep road with no foot path (there is a stepped foot path).

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Once I had travelled down to the visitor centre in my wheelchair I was faced with a steep gravel pathway. My wheelchair skidded on the gravel which could have potentially been dangerous.

As I was leaving, the owner advised me that I could park my car outside the visitor centre to avoid walking up the steep roadside slope however, the gravel pathway was unavoidable.

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Accessibility

The park owner advised me of the following information:

“Due to the park being over 50 years old and due to the location, accessibility is an issue and wheelchair users are unable to access the park itself. There are Tree Preservation Orders on the trees limiting the amount of concrete etc that can be laid down as it would stop water getting to the roots.

A grant was requested to put a ramp inside the park but it was considered to be too large and would also damage the natural outstanding beauty, so there are lots of steps leading down to the park itself.”

However, wheelchair users can access the visitor centre which has a balcony where you can view some of the animals but the view is pretty poor for a wheelchair user as the balcony is too high. There is also a small café at the visitor centre where they serve teas, coffees and confectionary.

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Accessibility Rating

Due to the fact I was unable to view any of the animals or park I can only give this a no star rating

← Previous Post So Pie - Gloucester 2 Next Post Spookday →

Unfortunately, I was unable to get onto the other balcony as there was a step, this could be easily avoided by putting a small soft edged lip over the door frame.

There is a £3 charge for a carer to assist a disabled visitor, which I haven’t come across when visiting any other attraction.

Toilets

There is a disabled toilet with enough room for someone to assist a wheelchair user. The sink, hand dryer and toilet paper dispenser were all within reach for a wheelchair user. The toilet was nice and clean and safe to use.

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Gloucester Cathedral 2024

Gloucester Cathedral Location: 12 College Green, Gloucester, GL1 2LX. The below report documents the experiences of the Accessible Gloucestershire team at the time of visiting. Parking and entrance The road to the cathedral is pedestrianised and restricted to pass...

BIGLOO

BIGLOO

BIGLOO Accessibility Rating Physical Five out of five Sensory Five out of five Office Location: Lone Tree DepotWhimsey Industrial EstateSteam MillsCinderfordGloucestershireGL14 3JA Contact details:01594 821008info@bigloo.co.ukwww.bigloo.co.uk BIGLOO is a large...