Wheelchair-accessible hotspots in London?

May 18, 2011 2:20 PM

My friend & housemate has a big birthday weekend planned (London, Thursday – Monday). There's an itinerary, filled with lots of amazing things (spa days, aquarium, shows, etc.), but in the event that some of these places aren't wheelchair accessible, we need some back up events planned. What are some great places to go/see/party in London that are definitely wheelchair accessible, relatively easy to get to, and would be able to host a party of 3-8 people at the last minute with minimal hassle all around?

My understanding is that London is not so great for wheelchair accessibility, so we're taking cabs around and such. Also, money is not no object per se, but it pales in comparison to going to the best, most amazing places we can get ourselves into. Like I said, we have an itinerary already, but it'd be nice to be able to say, "Oh hey, I know Awesome Place X and I'll give them a ring" if we get stuck at the stairs or such at one of our planned destinations. Reroute and conquer!

posted by iamkimiam to sports, hobbies, & recreation (5 answers total)

Have you thought of http://www.vinopolis.co.uk/ they can organise a themed wine or whiskey tasting and they are 100% wheelchair accessible....
posted by london302 at 2:25 PM on May 18, 2011

No specific suggestions, sorry, but if you already have an 'ideal' itinerary, can you call ahead now and find out if the venues are wheelchair friendly?
posted by citands at 2:47 PM on May 18, 2011

Have a look at http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/culture/london-attraction-accessibility; that might give you some pointers.
posted by davemack at 3:05 PM on May 18, 2011

Heya I don't know London from anything, but I use a wheelchair so, this is what I would like to know before going to X place: Are there any stairs anywhere? Sometimes parts of places will be wheelchair inaccessible even if the joint's entrance is. This can be tres annoying. Also, are the bathrooms wheelchair accessible. This may or may not be important to your friend. But bathroom accessibility, esp in the N.E. U.S., is a Thing.
posted by angrycat at 6:06 PM on May 18, 2011

It's a bit of a drive, but I really enjoyed Hampton Court Palace and for a ~500 year old palace it was pretty damn accessible. (They hid an elevator in one of the secret passages.)

Avoid the Tower of London unless your wheelchair-using friend has a lot of energy that day; cobblestones and uneven floors can take a lot out of a person. (Though if they're up to it, seeing the giant golden cistern makes it all worthwhile.)

I also enjoyed Westminster Abbey; though not fully accessible, there was so much to see inside that you almost won't notice. Be sure to look down.

This should help with the bathroom issue: http://www.changing-places.org/ (accessible public bathrooms! With hoists! Why do we not have this in the States? Why are they ahead of us in bathroom technology?!)
Also see http://www.goodaccessguide.co.uk/index.php and https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/accessibility-guides/default.aspx
posted by Soliloquy at 7:51 PM on May 18, 2011