Costa Coffee

bellrock

01 Sep 2022

Accessible coffee shop with great toilet.

5

5

Date of visit: September 2022

I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets, hearing and moving around.

I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hearing aid or cochlear implant, walking aid, wheelchair

Overall Rating

Excellent

This is a review of Costa in High Street, Dumbarton. There is another Costa off the main A82 at Lomondgate which is also good.

Disabled Access In and Around

Excellent

It's all level with plenty of room to manoeuvre a wheelchair, even though it's not a particularly large cafe. The door is very wide and stays open by itself so it is very easy for wheelchair entry.

Parking & Transport

Good

The cafe does not have a car park, as it is in the town centre. Although there are two Blue Badge spaces almost directly outside they are frequently used by non badge holders who stop for five minutes, move away and are almost instantly replaced by someone else. In any case, being on-street spaces they are no good for using a wheelchair ramp. There is quite a lot of parking at the riverbank which is 2-3 minutes wheel away and level with lowered kerbs where necessary. Blue badge holders can park for an unlimited time although there is a two hour restriction for others. Many buses stop in the High Street.

Accessible Toilets

Excellent

I think this is the largest accessible toilet I have ever seen (apart from Changing Places toilets.) There is a drop down rail on one side and a fixed rail on the other. The red cord had a Euan's Guide card which had obviously worked as it was hanging to the floor. The access corridor is very wide and the door is light and stays open by itself. The toilet is also a baby change but the changing unit is well away from the toilet and sink.

Staff

Excellent

Always very pleasant and helpful.

Additional Information

The cafe is in the middle of the main street which is all level and fairly smooth for pushing a wheelchair. Many shops have no step or a very low one. There are several public seats/benches across the road from the cafe which get a lot of sunshine. The cafe is very near The Captain James Lang, a Wetherspoons pub - see previous review. On the nearby street along the river there are two 'coin in the slot' public toilets which can be opened with a RADAR key. Thet have drop down rails on each side. The actual riverbank should be more accessible with lowered kerbs and fewer cobbles.