Overview

Kew is a fantastic attraction with a variety of fascinating biomes and attractions mapping the UK's botanical history from it's colonial roots (pun intended!) to modern ecological stewardship and scientific research. Really solid efforts have been made to compassionately accommodate various disabilities however the sheer size of the campus and the historical nature of many of the greenhouses can make it a challenging visit, especially for those with mobility issues.

Transport & Parking

The venue has blue badge parking close to the entrance and the car park we used (Elizabeth Gate) was generally level and easy to navigate in a power chair, despite being gravel. I have previously travelled to Kew via public transport and the tube (Kew Bridge) is a short walk/roll (800m) from Elizabeth Gate. There is no level access at the tube station so you will need to book assistance and the pavements en route are occasionally a little narrow and unevenly maintained.

Access

I have visited this attraction many times with a variety of mobility aids including walking stick and power chair and have also made use of their manual wheelchair loan facility. Access was very easy and staff were helpful and knowledgeable about accessibility options. There is good signage throughout and maps are available at the entrance and have accessibility information clearly marked. The main challenge is the distance between attractions - as a rough guide I would estimate that to see the whole lot is around three hours walking for an able bodied person. Most of the campus is flat with a few gentle slopes. They allow you to bring a carer for free and I did not need to provide proof of my disability in order to obtain this accommodation however on all occasions I had visible signifiers of disability in the form of mobility aids and I cannot be certain how different this process may be for less visible disabilities. I would advise calling ahead to make arrangements - the customer service and accessibility team are very helpful. The manual wheelchair loan was very easy to access - they are right next to the entrance and you do not need to get permission to borrow them. They have a mixture of transit chairs (for a companion to push) and manual chairs. I would advise using the manual chair if possible as there are some tight doorways and spaces where it is useful to be able to navigate by yourself. The chairs are moderately size inclusive and well maintained but they are on the heavy side which combined with the sheer size of the campus means they are probably a little too exhausting to self-propel for the whole visit. Mobility scooters are available for rental (around £15 at the time I enquired) but need to be reserved at least 24 hours ahead of your visit. The older Victorian greenhouses are a little more tricky to access. The Palm House has a relatively steep ramp which I think I would find challenging if self-propelling a manual chair. My power chair is not especially powerful and it struggled and I would be concerned about tipping if your chair has a high centre of gravity or if you do not have anti-tippers. However the ramp is fine if you have assistance. There are two sets of heavy double doors about two feet apart to enter the greenhouse which I found tricky to get through without someone to hold the doors and open the second door which is sometimes secured with a bolt at floor level. My chair is 64cm (25") wide and I had only around two inches clearance without opening the second door. Some greenhouses have lattice floors to allow for drainage. I didn't have any issues using my walking stick but you may want to take extra care. Whilst not strictly an accessibility issue I feel its important to acknowledge that this is potentially a more expensive day out. Food and drink is very pricey, even for things like sandwiches and whilst there are a range of dining options, even the cheapest is still expensive. There are however plenty of gorgeous outdoor spots that a perfect for a little picnic and this is a common option.

Toilets

I was very impressed by the accessible toilets. At least one disabled toilet (near the Elizabeth Gate though I presume there are others) has full adult changing facilities including (at the time of my visit) a hoist, changing table and compassionate attention to detail like a space heater above the table and a mobile privacy screen. There are plenty of other disabled toilets throughout the site and they were all clean, tidy and uncluttered with the red emergency cord reaching the ground in 100% of the ones I visited My power chair has a largeish turning circle (and is usually heavily laden with far more things than one person strictly needs!) and I had no issues turning and transferring in the cubicles, however the cubicles located in the food and gift shop areas are smaller than those near the gates and may be a tighter fit if you need assistance transferring. These bathrooms do not require a RADAR key.

Staff

Staff at Kew are unfailingly friendly and helpful and delighted to share stories about the exhibits. They are knowledgeable about accessibility and often pro-active if eg. they see you wheeling off down a pathway that unexpectedly leads to steps(!) However the site is very large and staff are not always available. Customer service advised me that if I got into any difficulty during my visit to call the switchboard (https://www.kew.org/about-us/contact-us) and they are able to send staff to help you.

Photos