JD (Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park)
TRESPASS (Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park)
OUTFIT (Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park)
It is 6 shops in 1. I found some shops are tight between clothes rails and these were more the women's shops than the men's. Dresses got caught in my wheelchair.
6/10
It is 6 shops in 1. I found some shops are tight between clothes rails and these were more the women's shops than the men's. Dresses got caught in my wheelchair.
6/10
M & S Foodhall (Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park)
I found the aisle width good. There is a cafe with tables at good height for wheelchair users. There was one pillar by one display which would make it difficult to reach behind. They have got one bathroom for all, which is accessible. See more about bathrooms at Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park in my blog.
9/10
I found the aisle width good. There is a cafe with tables at good height for wheelchair users. There was one pillar by one display which would make it difficult to reach behind. They have got one bathroom for all, which is accessible. See more about bathrooms at Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park in my blog.
9/10
SMYTHS (Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park)
I found the aisle width good, but around the computer games I found it too tight to move my wheelchair. I love computer games and me and my friends play these together, so I was disappointed.
8/10
I found the aisle width good, but around the computer games I found it too tight to move my wheelchair. I love computer games and me and my friends play these together, so I was disappointed.
8/10
Clas Ohlson (The Headrow)
Good access from the street. Ramp from the lower ground to ground floor and a lift to all floors.
The aisle width is pretty good except some displays are quite big and blocks some ailes slightly so I felt I might knock things over to get through in one or two places.
8/10
Good access from the street. Ramp from the lower ground to ground floor and a lift to all floors.
The aisle width is pretty good except some displays are quite big and blocks some ailes slightly so I felt I might knock things over to get through in one or two places.
8/10
HMV
Good size lift to all floors.
Good display heights for wheelchair users.
The aisle width is very good except for a couple of aisle ends on the first floor which I couldn't get my chair fully through (not a major problem).
9/10
Good size lift to all floors.
Good display heights for wheelchair users.
The aisle width is very good except for a couple of aisle ends on the first floor which I couldn't get my chair fully through (not a major problem).
9/10
Waterstones (Albion Street)
Great aisle width, easy for wheelchairs. A ramp to the lower ground floor near the entrance and a lift to all floors.
All displays are clear and at a good height especially the table displays and the cafe tables on the 1st floor (Costa Coffee) are good for wheelchair users.
10/10
Great aisle width, easy for wheelchairs. A ramp to the lower ground floor near the entrance and a lift to all floors.
All displays are clear and at a good height especially the table displays and the cafe tables on the 1st floor (Costa Coffee) are good for wheelchair users.
10/10
Trinity Centre
Positives:
· No doors on the street entrances.
· Lots of good shops (I hope to review these separately in the future).
· Good natural light under shelter (which is a big part of the city centre sheltered).
· ‘Changing Places’ bathroom.
· Lifts.
Negatives:
· Ramp from Briggate into Trinity Centre is quite steep for manual wheelchairs. This continues at other points on the lower ground floor.
· Only two lifts in the main centre but other shops such as Next, Topshop, Boots, H&M and others also have their own lifts too.
· Numbers outside and in the lift differ which can be confusing e.g. Lower Ground is 0, Ground is 1, First Floor is 2! Inside the lift another button shows yet another level of ‘-1’ (to Boar lane). Confusing!
· Too many able-bodied people use the lifts when very good escalators are next to them. This is frustrating when there are limited lifts in the main part of the centre.
· The paving slab floor on all floors makes an annoyingly bumpy ride for wheelchairs after a while.
· The exit to the street from ground floor is again steep for manual wheelchairs, however a lift in M&S can take you to the street from ground floor.
· There are more ramps on ground floor from one end to the other. This gets flatter in middle though.
· The First Floor is the food court, cinema (please see separate review for Eveyman cinema) and toilets. There is just one balcony walkway all around. Unlike the other floors, this has no bridges to shortcut a journey and you can only go in a circle. This top floor is much flatter on the whole though until you turn the corner towards boots from the restaurants when steep ramps re-appear.
· There are two regular sized disabled toilets and one ‘Changing Places’ bathroom, which is great and equipped to high standards as expected. However, there is an unavoidable ramp to reach them.
· An attendant is required to unlock the Changing Places bathroom, however we could not find one even after a ten-minute wait! When we asked advice later, we were told to shout for an attendant (if they couldn't be seen)!!! That could be very embarrassing! I have since found out that any Trinity staff member with a red neckerchief can also unlock the room.
5/10
Positives:
· No doors on the street entrances.
· Lots of good shops (I hope to review these separately in the future).
· Good natural light under shelter (which is a big part of the city centre sheltered).
· ‘Changing Places’ bathroom.
· Lifts.
Negatives:
· Ramp from Briggate into Trinity Centre is quite steep for manual wheelchairs. This continues at other points on the lower ground floor.
· Only two lifts in the main centre but other shops such as Next, Topshop, Boots, H&M and others also have their own lifts too.
· Numbers outside and in the lift differ which can be confusing e.g. Lower Ground is 0, Ground is 1, First Floor is 2! Inside the lift another button shows yet another level of ‘-1’ (to Boar lane). Confusing!
· Too many able-bodied people use the lifts when very good escalators are next to them. This is frustrating when there are limited lifts in the main part of the centre.
· The paving slab floor on all floors makes an annoyingly bumpy ride for wheelchairs after a while.
· The exit to the street from ground floor is again steep for manual wheelchairs, however a lift in M&S can take you to the street from ground floor.
· There are more ramps on ground floor from one end to the other. This gets flatter in middle though.
· The First Floor is the food court, cinema (please see separate review for Eveyman cinema) and toilets. There is just one balcony walkway all around. Unlike the other floors, this has no bridges to shortcut a journey and you can only go in a circle. This top floor is much flatter on the whole though until you turn the corner towards boots from the restaurants when steep ramps re-appear.
· There are two regular sized disabled toilets and one ‘Changing Places’ bathroom, which is great and equipped to high standards as expected. However, there is an unavoidable ramp to reach them.
· An attendant is required to unlock the Changing Places bathroom, however we could not find one even after a ten-minute wait! When we asked advice later, we were told to shout for an attendant (if they couldn't be seen)!!! That could be very embarrassing! I have since found out that any Trinity staff member with a red neckerchief can also unlock the room.
5/10
American Apparel 76 Briggate
Two big steps to get in. More stairs for men's clothes. No lift. No one offered any assistance.
0/10
Just a note, when I was out filming with the BBC (after doing my first review) about accessibility, someone from the shop did come out and offer to bring out a ramp. This is ok when I am with someone, but if I am alone and the shop is busy, people might not notice me in order to bring a ramp out. But because they did this once, my new rating is...
1/10
0/10
Just a note, when I was out filming with the BBC (after doing my first review) about accessibility, someone from the shop did come out and offer to bring out a ramp. This is ok when I am with someone, but if I am alone and the shop is busy, people might not notice me in order to bring a ramp out. But because they did this once, my new rating is...
1/10
Went back again to try out ramp. had to wait 3 minutes before anyone came and the ramp was not very steady and I felt scared using it. There is still no access to other levels
1/10
Aspecto-Briggate
There is a high step to get over so that you can get in and there is no lift to the men's clothes which are downstairs.
0/10
0/10
Boots. Merrion Centre
Great. I love it. Easy to get in and lots of space between aisles so that I can look at everything. It also has lower counters so that I can pay for my own things without asking someone else to do it.
10/10
10/10
Claire's Accessories, Merrion Centre
Aisles are very, very close together which means I cannot go down them in my wheelchair.
1/10
1/10
Footlocker St John's Centre
Getting in is simple but...
Not enough room for a wheelchair user to move around in the shop.
The clothes rails are really close together so I could not move or really see what was on the rails.
1/10
Game 50-52 Albion Street
Great. Easy to get in and has a lift going up to the second floor
10/10
10/10
Internacionale Merrion Centre
Fab
Good. Easy to get in and has a lift so that I can use both levels of the shop.
10/10
10/10
Jessops 30 The Headrow
Can't get in!
Only way to get in is by three big steps. So, wheelchair users cannot go in
0/10
Just a note, when I was out filming with the BBC about accessibility, someone from the shop did come out and offer to bring out a ramp. This is ok when I am with someone, but if I am alone and the shop is busy, people might not notice me in order to bring a ramp out. But because they did this once, my new rating is...
1/10
0/10
Just a note, when I was out filming with the BBC about accessibility, someone from the shop did come out and offer to bring out a ramp. This is ok when I am with someone, but if I am alone and the shop is busy, people might not notice me in order to bring a ramp out. But because they did this once, my new rating is...
1/10
Marks and Spencer Briggate
Automatic doors, lift access to all floors with lots of space to move around. Good sized accessible toilet.
10/10
10/10
Merrion Centre. Cookridge Street
One entrance go down to steps, if people do not know this then they have to go back up a steep ramp.
Other exits that are accessible for wheelchair users bring you out on a different street.
2/10
Other exits that are accessible for wheelchair users bring you out on a different street.
2/10
Morrisons. Merrion Centre
No entrance from Cookridge Street as steps go into it.
Entrance from the Merrion Centre is good and once in, there is lots of space for wheelchair users as the aisles have lots of space
7/10
Entrance from the Merrion Centre is good and once in, there is lots of space for wheelchair users as the aisles have lots of space
7/10
Peacocks, Merrion Centre
The main aisle is accessible for wheelchair users but they are restricted when it comes to browsing for clothes as displays are very close together.
3/10
3/10
The Body Shop/In The Light Centre
Very little room to move around in the shop. Aisles very close together.
The doors were already open, so easy to access when I went but if they are not open all the time, it might be more difficult to get in.
6/10
The doors were already open, so easy to access when I went but if they are not open all the time, it might be more difficult to get in.
6/10
Schuh-Briggate
Ok to access the ground floor where they have the women's shoes.
But, the men's shoes are upstairs and there is no lift.
6/10
But, the men's shoes are upstairs and there is no lift.
6/10
Sports Direct.com. Headrow/Core Shopping Centre
Good entrance access from The Core but awful from The Headrow.
Really hard to move around in shop as aisle really close together.
Can access the different floors but the lift is tiny and really hard to get in with a carer or friend
2/10
Really hard to move around in shop as aisle really close together.
Can access the different floors but the lift is tiny and really hard to get in with a carer or friend
2/10
The Works, Merrion Centre
When I visited, displays blocked the entrance which meant that it was a tight squeeze for me to get in the shop in a wheelchair and I was worried about knocking everything over.
2/10
2/10
TOPMAN/TOPSHOP St John's Centre
There is no access at all up to Topman from Topshop if you use a wheelchair as it is upstairs and there are only escalators and no lifts
1/10
1/10
