Great for the monkeys, poor for wheelchairs
2
2
Date of visit: May 2025
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Poor
Great to see rescued monkeys in a better cared for environment. With a glass viewing section. There are a couple of sensory statues for sight impaired people to touch to find out what the monkey looks like, but these are barred off and you have to go and find a member of staff to let you in.. Regular talks are given around the venue. It’s very hilly in places and uneven paths. However (understandably) around all the cages it was thick post and rail, sometimes double railed and with plants and shrubs. These rails and hedges were all at eye height for a wheelchair bound user. The paths are narrow in places and groups gather for the talks,it’s nearly impossible for a wheelchair to get through the crowd. Or even get near to the keeper to listen. One high view point was wheelchair accessible , but when you actually got to the top, the fence was about 4 and a half foot high, so wheelchair users couldn’t see over. A long way to go to not be able to see. A lot of the paths are gravel or large white stones, and wheels do not roll on them. The woodland walk does not allow motorized vehicles in it, but it’s soft wood chips so a standard wheelchair with adult weight can’t go anyway. It does have disabled toilets in two places which were of good size, but no emergency pull cords. The entrance advertises used electric mobility scooters for sale.. but the venue does not actually provide any for guests to rent. Do to take a motorized wheelchair or scooter. as a manual one has a lot of difficulty maneuvering around, and it’s very hilly in parts. You wouldn’t get up and down the slopes. Many paths are gravel and large white stones in the car park make it very uncomfortable in a chair , front wheels get stuck on stones and nearly throw the user out. Even lightweight people like children were struggling to be pushed in their push-chairs; let alone an adult. All in all a lovely place for the rescued animals giving them a better life. Do take a motorized scooter or motorized chair. In general quite poor for disabled users. Feels like they have done the minimum requirements in order to meet government standards. Instead: Support the rescue by donating, disabled adults I would suggest go to a zoo for a better viewing experience, not here.
Disabled Access In and Around
Bad
Only saw Seating in the eating areas. Did not see any braille signage. Information signage about the animals was quite small and high up, even above the windows..at over 6 foot.. so difficult to see. Some of the viewing windows had low level edging bricks to designate an area, but these stopped the front wheels of a wheelchair going over.
Parking & Transport
Poor
No signage on the entrance to say where disabled parking was. A lot of the car park is large white stones- unsuitable for a wheelchair and difficult to walk on for someone unsteady or partially sighted. There is a bus that stops inside the car park about 50 yards away from the turnstile entrance. A very slightly reduced ticket price for registered disabled. & their carer, just a couple of pounds off.
Accessible Toilets
Good
The disabled toilets were large and suitable for two people, there was no emergency pull cord though.
Staff
Average
