Impressive access with Changing Places toilet and accessible changing room in Bon Marche
5
5
Date of visit: May 2019
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Excellent
The Beacon is a modern shopping centre with excellent access.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
Access is excellent with either open frontages or electric doors. The shopping centre is large and I understand there is a Shop Mobility scheme for the hire of wheelchairs and scooters. I only visited the group floor area and found that there were clusters of seating areas in the central area rather than dotted throughout the building. Often when I first arrive somewhere I need a seat as near to the entrance as possible and from the entrance I used I was walking for a couple of minutes before I saw any seating. I went into Bon Marche and found an accessible changing room. It was the first time I had seen this, admittedly because of general poor access I don't shop very often, but I felt so emotional and I wanted to cry. It was spacious, there was an accessible seat, like the one I have in my shower at home, as well as an armchair, grab rails and a red emergency cord, which was tided up. The outcome of this was having suitable accessible facilities I ended up try on everything I had taken into the changing room, whereas I will often give up and I ended up buying more than what I planned, which I think provides an economic case for shops providing better accessible facilities will lead to disabled people spending more.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
The Beacon is adjacent to Eastbourne train station and easy to find. On the street outside there are currently road works going on which means that some of the road is fenced off and there are limited crossing points. However, I will still give access 5 as this is temporary and the pavement outside is wide and the area is flat, so once the road works are over it should be easy to navigate. The taxi rank is close by, near the station.
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
There is a Changing Places toilet and also 2 accessible toilets on the ground floor, see photo. They are in an area separate from the regular toilets. The accessible toilets require a radar key. They accessible toilet was spacious with grab rails and red emergency cord.
Staff
Excellent
I had very little interaction with staff, apart from Bon Marche. I was served by Marcel (hope I've spelt her name right), and when I told her how pleased I was about the accessible changing room, she told me how pleased she was to hear that and she came round and gave me a hug. She said she would untie the red cord immediately and explained that staff are available to assist customers in the way that best meets their needs.
Additional Information
I hate shopping and visiting an accessible shopping centre gave me a totally new experience and I loved it. The shopping centre is next to the train station, so even if you don't live in Eastbourne it might be a good open to visit. Highly recommend.
