Accessible, central workspace shines.
5
5
Date of visit: August 2026
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: disabled toilet, powerchair
Overall Rating
Excellent
Great level access office and event space in the city centre of Edinburgh.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
Now I know Codebase can’t change the pavements outside but it is still good to note that the dipped kerbs that you have to cross from Princes Street direction are a little bit uneven when you are crossing the road leading up to the castle. You can see them in pictures that are included in the review. To enter Codebase it is double automatic doors to enter the venue and it is all on the level. Once you are in the building there is a push button to enter the toilet area at the reception area but, you have to manually open the doors to the event space and desk hopping area which also leads to all the offices. The reception desk as you enter the building is quite high and you have to go around to the side to get to the lower area. You have to have a pass that allows you access through to the desk hopping and office area but, staff are always on hand to help you open the doors. I feel where you scan your card to get through to the desk hopping area isn’t very noticeable because there’s so much design on the wall so I feel maybe if you have a visual impairment it might be difficult to find. There is orange tape around the glass doors to get through the desk hopping area which is great for visitors with a visual impairment. Once you are through to the desk hopping area it is always very spacious and here you are able to buy yourself a coffee or a cake. You need card access to get through to the offices but once you scan your card these doors open automatically. The width of the corridor is quite wide and you can fit two wheelchairs side by side which you can see from images within this review. The meeting rooms beside the offices vary in size but I feel the doors are very narrow to get through. I usually have my handbag on the side of my wheelchair but I have to take it off to get through the door. I do like the Meadows meeting room when I’m visiting CodeBase as it is very spacious, especially when there are multiple wheelchair users visiting. There is a communal kitchen area at the end of the corridor where the offices are with tables where you can eat your lunch, it is very spacious and the work tops have space for a wheelchair to get understand the worktops. The event space beside the reception area is very spacious and is a good room to meet with people and network. It is very bright as well that makes it inviting. There are lifts leading to other areas of the building but I have never had to use them as I have always been on the lower level which is accessed from the castle side of the building.
Accessible facilities: Lift to all areas, Step-free entrance
Parking & Transport
Excellent
I travelled to this place by tram
I have taken different forms of transport to this venue for work and because it is in the city centre of Edinburgh it is perfect for this. On street parking is available all around the office which is free if you have a blue badge. There is an NCP car park across the street but I heard it is very expensive. Waverly train station is a 30 minute walk away from the office and if you were to get a taxi from the train station there is plenty of room to get dropped off by a taxi at the entrance to the office. I am not sure if there is a bus station nearby as I am not from Edinburgh but, there are lots of bus stops nearby that I presume come from all over Edinburgh and beyond. I like getting the tram to the office and I either get off at West End or Princes Street. I feel the walk from West End is a narrower pavement but depending on what time of the day I am traveling it’s not too busy with people, whereas Princes Street is always busy.
Accessible facilities: Public or on street parking, Drop-off or pick up point
Accessible Toilets
Good
There are a few disabled toilets dotted around the building but the one I know more about is the one at the reception area of the building. You press a touch pad button to open the door leading to the toilet area and then you have to physically open the door to the disabled toilet. This is obviously needed though so you can securely lock it. The disabled toilet has plenty of grab rails to make transferring safe and there is a lot of floor space to move around, you can see the disabled toilet compared to my wheelchair in one of the photos within this review. You can transfer from the right-hand side of the toilet and I would say that the sink is at a good height for someone in a wheelchair but, the paper towels are quite far away from the sink. Within Codebase there is no Changing Places toilet and from experience I would say that the closet one is at the Wetherspoons beside Waverly train station but, I could be wrong.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
Excellent
Anytime I have visited Codebase the staff at reception have always been really helpful and welcoming.
