St Laurence Church | 20th September 2019

Accessibility Rating 

Physical 

Four out of five 

Sensory 

Five out of five 

Location: St Laurence Church
The Vicarage
Church Street
Stroud
GL5 1JL

Parking and entrance

The closest public car park to St Laurence Church is Church Street car park which has 4 accessible bays that are free for up to 3 hours for blue badge holders.
There are two entrances to St Laurence Church. One is in front of the accessible bays and is steps with handrails that leads you into the church grounds. Alternatively, for wheelchair users there is step free access towards Shambles Market and down a small alleyway on the right then right at the end of the alley.
There are steps to the entrance of the church however there is portable ramp that is often used to aid wheelchair users.

Inside the church

St Laurence Church has had the original pews removed leaving it an open space. This is positive for wheelchair users as it means that moveable chairs are used and the layout can change depending on the needs of the visitors. It makes it very easy to navigate as the main area is completely flat. The removal of the church pews means that the church can now be used for a variety of events in the main space.
There is a smaller chapel section at the back of the church which as multiple steps to gain access and would be inaccessible for a wheelchair user.

Church hall

The church hall is located outside the church and straight ahead. There are two entrances to this, one is from the church grounds and is a ramped entrance with handrails, ideal for wheelchair users or people with limited mobility. The other is from the Shambles Market and is stepped access.
From the ramped entrance there are two double doors that lead to the main hall. The accessible toilet is on the right through the first main set of double doors.
The church hall is large and during our visit was hosting part of the Shambles Market. It was good to visit during a function as we could see how it is set up. There was plenty of space around the stalls for a wheelchair users to navigate comfortably and the stalls were all at a suitable height for a wheelchair user of person of smaller stature to browse easily.

Accessible toilet

The accessible toilet is in the church hall. The dimensions of the room are 1700mm x 2250mm which exceeds minimum requirements and leaves plenty of room for a wheelchair user and an assistant. There is an emergency pull cord to the right of the toilet from a seated position. There is only one ring pull on the cord and it is broken.
The toilet is 48cm from the ground which is the correct height for an accessible toilet and the flush is on the transfer side and easy to reach. There is a disposable bin and a sanitary bin however the disposable bin lid is broken.
The grab rails are the same colour as the walls which may make them difficult to identify for someone with a visual impairment. There is tissue paper instead of toilet roll which is easier to rip off for people with limited mobility or dexterity. The floor is non-slip and the toilet is kept clean and hygienic, however the lighting is quite dim.