Handy for the Abbey
3
3
Date of visit: February 2026
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Average
Ideally placed for anyone looking to visit Melrose Abbey, this car park has eighteen standard parking spaces, two EV charging bays and two oddly positioned accessible bays. The site also doubles as a coach park, so you can expect a bit of weaving around buses during tourism season.
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
The route through the car park is made clear, although the paint on the tarmac is rather worn. Signage for the parking terms is confusingly placed at the foot of a parking bay, making it difficult to see the lower section when the bay is in use. There are no alternative communication formats in use. Blue badge parking is free at the time of this review.
Accessible facilities: Step-free entrance
Parking & Transport
Poor
I travelled to this place by personal vehicle
There are two accessible parking spaces in the car park, but they are strangely placed in the centre on their own wee island while the standard bays line the wall around the car park. There are hatched markings to the right of each bay but not in any other position, which could make rear loading a challenge for some. The paint is worn but the bays are still easy to identify. Of the two EV bays, the one on the right is larger, though only because it is on a corner. The charging unit has been installed on a kerb, raising it a bit. There are poles set in front of the unit that are quite obstructive. Mobility aid users may find using the facility a bit challenging because if you need to reverse into the bay, you'll need to take your chair out first as there is no clearance to the rear of the space. The card reader on the machine is relatively low. I could reach it from my wheelchair but the placement of the machine makes the cables difficult to access. It is definitely the case that accessibility was overlooked here. The machine supports 50kW CCS charging, 50kW CHAdeMO and 43kW Type 2 charging. A bus stop can be found at the entrance to the car park.
Accessible facilities: Electric Vehicle Charging, Dedicated on-site parking
Accessible Toilets
There are no toilets at this venue, though the Eden Coffee House is close to the car park, which I understand has an accessible toilet.
Staff
This venue is not staffed.
