The Heritage Hub 

Accessibility Rating 

Physical 
 
Five out of five 

Location: Clarence Row 
Gloucester 
GL1 3DW 

Parking and entrance 

There is suitable signage to the Heritage Hub making it easy to find. There is a barrier to the car park which will lift automatically when a vehicle is stopped in front of it. On the left are 3 well marked accessible bays with hatching on every side. The route from the accessible bays to the entrance does not enter onto the vehicular route and is step free.

The entrance has 2 automatic doors and visitors are greeted immediately by a platform lift. This lift can be operated by guests without assistance. The lift requires the user to hold the direction button down for the duration. The buttons are large, clear and very easy to use. When reaching the top, the lift gate doesn’t automatically, the button must be held down while the gate is pushed open, this may be difficult for a wheelchair user to do alone.

Reception

The reception is spacious and open plan with a lowered desk. There is a spacious seating area just past the desk.
On the right as you enter there is a separate reception desk for the Family History area which also has a lowered desk.

Archives

These areas are spacious with plenty of room for a wheelchair user. There are some files that are quite high up and would be difficult to reach for a wheelchair user or person of smaller stature, however the reception desk is always manned so assistance can be gained at all times if required.

Research room

The Research Room door is an electronic door controlled by reception. There are rise and fall tables in the research room meaning the height can be changed to suit the user.

Since the pandemic there have been screens installed at the reception desk in the Research Room, these have impacted the use of the hearing loop. During our audit we were assured that this was being looked into.

There isn’t any accessible software or assistive technology on/for the computers, however during our conversations on our visit it was clear that the Heritage Hub ensure that all of their visitors have what they need, and will go to extra lengths to ensure these needs are met. With this in mind, we are confident that should accessible software, such as screen readers, be required, it would certainly be looked into.

Due to the advice in regards to social distancing, the current layout of the Research Room may cause a wheelchair user difficulty in getting to the meeting room on the other side. There are bi-fold doors which also lead here and we were advised that it can be arranged for these to be opened if necessary.

Accessible toilets

There are 2 accessible toilets at the Heritage Hub, both are a decent size and would allow for a wheelchair user and assistant/carer. They are both well-lit, clean and the toilet seats are at the recommended height – 48cm from the ground.

There are emergency pull cords in a good position, however the ring pulls were not at the correct height. This was rectified during our visit. The alarm rings out at the reception and from the toilet. As the Heritage Hub is quite open plan, there is no risk that it won’t be heard.

All amenities are at a lowered height and the sink is reachable from a seated position on the toilet, however the soap dispenser could not be reached from the toilet.

The transfer space has a shelf behind the toilet which limits the reversing space

Next to the upstairs accessible toilet there is a large corridor of lockers at varying heights and sizes.

Upstairs Kitchen

The main kitchen is 1500mm in width which is wide enough for a wheelchair user to enter, but will be required to reverse out. There aren’t any lowered counters which may make using the space difficult for a wheelchair user or person of smaller stature.

Dunrossil Meeting Room

On the ground floor to the left of the entrance is the Dunrossil Meeting Room. This is a very large space with doors out into the garden. There is also a serving hatch joining to the downstairs kitchen with a lowered table, making it easy to access. The downstairs kitchen is mainly used by staff of the Heritage Hub.

Garden

The garden is a beautiful space with areas for the community to grow their own veg, and bee hives where the Heritage Hub will be producing their own honey. There is also seating around the garden, including a picnic bench with an extended table with knee recess for wheelchair users. There is signage throughout the garden explaining the different areas. Some of these signs are quite high up on the walls and may be difficult to read for a wheelchair user, however there are QR codes on the signs that bring the information up on visitors phones. This is great as it allows visitors to use any accessibility software they may have on their phone to read the information.