Go touch some grass!
3.5
3.5
Date of visit: July 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment and moving around.
Overall Rating
Good
There are only few green spaces right in the centre of the city and many of them are still very noticeably part of the built environment, but Merrion Street Gardens succeed in providing that little bit more distance from the busy streets. Not being right by the street unfortunately also means that there is space for a fence around them whose gates are looked at 5pm. The gardens are a rectangle of stone paths, lined with trees, that surround the strips of grass that step down away from the street toward St. John's and the Peace Garden. Most of the colour comes from the brightly painted benches and bins.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
The best place to enter is the main entrance opposite Wade Lane, which is much wider than the side entrance further down Merrion Street, which can be tight for wider chairs. The lower part has gates leading to St John's churchyard and the Peace Garden (not much of a garden as far as I could see, but a picnic table). There is an exit on the other side of St John's to New Briggate, but it has stairs. The paths are wide, but the stones can be a bit uneven, especially on the lower path where the slabs are bigger and on the wee path from the side entrance. The paths on the side slope down from the Merrion Street side and there are railings along the side of these ramps. There are park benches along the paths and the grassy bits in the middle also lend themselves to sitting on.
Parking & Transport
Average
Merrion Street Gardens are at the northern end of the city centre shopping district, not particularly close to the train or bus station, but close enough if you can walk or wheel for ten to twenty minutes. There is a bus stop on Wade Lane (Merrion D for 38, 39) and Albion Street (Headrow L, M for 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, X10). There are loading bays on Merrion St that might be suitable for drop-offs and pick-up, but there is no on-street parking. There are some paid multi-storeys nearby, such as Q-Park St Johns Centre and Q-Park The Light.
Accessible Toilets
0There are no toilets at this venue. St Johns Shopping Centre is right next to the park and there are some restaurants in the area..
