Fairly accessible shopping centre in Dumfries centre
4
4
Date of visit: December 2019
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Good
Ideal for wheelchair and scooter use as the High St is a bit bumpy and uneven. Not a big shopping centre, limited variety of shops. Some shops are accessed outside from the High St. Used to have a shopmobility office within the centre which made the centre more accessible, but sadly now it has closed
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
There are 4 ways to access the centre Through the carpark underneath, then via quite a long ramp to the lower floor, through heavy doors. To access the shops you need to either access the upper floor via the narrow lift or the escalator, the escalator and lift are also the point of access to the shops from the bus stance entrance, automatic doors at this entrance The lift has just room for a small power chair and a carer. Access from the High Street , large automatic doors, slope up into shopping centre. Access via Marks and Spencer’s on the flat. Some of the shops are outside on the High Street, up a hilly uneven surface, seating scattered upstairs in part of the shopping centre, no seating on that part of the High St for a rest Signage adequate
Parking & Transport
Excellent
There are a limited number of dedicated accessible parking spaces in the car park under the centre, one on Irish St at the rear of the centre and one in Marks and Spencer’s carpark also at the rear. There is a public bus service with a dedicated bus stance at the south end entrance. Point of note the Pavement at rear of the centre is very narrow and on a slope, my power chair veered off the pavement into the road in damp weather, and narrowly avoided tipping,so we tend to avoid Using the parking space in Irish Street. I travelled by wheelchair taxi on this occasion.
Accessible Toilets
Good
2 accessible loos at bus stance entrance along a narrow corridor. Signage only at one end of centre pointing to where they are. I was intercepted by a member of staff who advised that the first disabled toilet was not big enough for a wheelchair and guided me to the further away toilet which was clean & roomy, plenty of grab rails and assistance cord. I left a Euan’s Guide red cord card, as cord tied up. Radar key system in place to access loo
Staff
Excellent
Staff friendly and helpful
