Overview

Who would have thought some of Glasgow’s best milkshakes are served at a hospital? Going to the hospital is rarely something to look forward to and can be very stressful, especially if you have to find parking. I might not be able to avoid going to the hospital, but I can actually make myself look forward to it if I plan to stop at the Soup & Juice Co. afterwards! I have never actually had anything other there than their chocolate ice cream shake because once I had tried that, I didn't want to miss any chance to have it again. By the nature of its location, the Soup & Juice Co. shares a lot of its features with Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, such as parking and transport, building access and accessible toilets. This is great news when it comes to plenty of accessible bathrooms and even two Changing Places toilets nearby, but not so great news when it comes to finding a parking spot or short walking distances. The prices are mid-range and there is a discount for NHS staff.

Transport & Parking

I usually drive, but the most recent time I visited I took the bus and it made a big difference not to have to try and find a parking spot! There are several bus stops right next to each other outside the front entrance to the main building (where Soup & Juice Co. is located). Bus lines include: 8, 16, 17, 23, 25, 34, 77, 189, 190. There is also a drop off area next to the bus stops off Hospital Boulevard. If you have to park, one of the multi-storey carparks are probably your best bet, as the other parking lots are quite small and busy and the bigger one at the corner of Renfrew Road and Langlands Drive (P4) is for staff only. The multi-storey off Langlands Drive (P2) has several rows of blue badge parking on the ground floor and six electric charging station per level. (The upper levels are designated staff only.)

Access

The counter is at a standard height and the menu is displayed overhead. The space in front of the counter is wide enough for me to comfortably go through in my power chair (62 cm wide). I did not see any large-print or braille signs or an induction loop. There is a good amount of seating around the atrium, mostly tables and chairs that can be moved. Most, if not all, of the hospital and grounds are accessible via step-free routes, with ramps and lifts in the multi-storey carparks and plenty of lifts in the hospital itself. The Soup & Juice Co. is on the ground floor and has level access from outside the main building. If the doors are not already open, there is a door open button for the power-assisted door on the right side of the main entrance. The building and the grounds are quite big, though, which makes it difficult if you cannot walk very far. There are a few benches between P2 (multi-storey) and the main building and many more between P4 and the building. There are also often hospital wheelchairs left around the multi-storeys and by the bus stops, which is not a policy, so no guarantee, but can be helpful if you don't have your own wheelchair and have someone with you who can push you along.

Toilets

There is a bathroom right next to the Soup & Juice Co. and a Changing Places toilet down the corridor to the right and then on the left (which I will review separately). There is a lot of construction going on in the atrium, so there are a lot of temporary walls that can make it more difficult to find. There are more toilets, including accessible toilets throughout the hospital and off of every waiting area.

Staff

I've always had good interactions with the staff and they make sure to help out if I can't reach something.

Photos