The Pine Marten

bellrock

13 Aug 2021

Easy access for lunch in spacious pub/restaurant

4.5

4.5

Date of visit: July 2021

I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets, hearing and moving around.

I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hearing aid or cochlear implant, walking aid, wheelchair

Overall Rating

Excellent

There is level access, good parking and a large accessible toilet. The pub has an extensive menu.

Disabled Access In and Around

Excellent

There are no steps and the inside is very spacious, although it is possible some tables had been removed because of Covid. Even in normal times, however, I think there would be plenty of room for a wheelchair. As it was so warm the doors were open so I didn't take in what they were like. There is a lot of outside seating both in front of and behind the pub. While much of this is on grass and therefore not easy with a wheelchair, there is a small paved area near the door.

Parking & Transport

Excellent

There are several blue badge spaces with cross hatching on both sides. The rest of the car park is large so there would be room to drop someone off if the spaces were full. The path from the car park to the entrance is smooth paving. It is not a long way in the accepted sense of the word, but for those like my relative who can only walk very short distances a wheelchair is needed. The photo of the the path is taken from the space we were parked in. There is a lowered kerb beside it.

Accessible Toilets

Excellent

The toilet is very good - large enough to give room for a wheelchair user and assistant. There is a drop down rail on one side and a fixed rail on the other. (I've noticed that some toilets, even recently refurbished ones, only have a rail on one side which means my relative cannot use them.) The red cord went to the floor. The toilet is at the opposite end from the entrance so again quite a 'long' distance.

Staff

Excellent

Very helpful and pleasant.

Additional Information

Very good. Track and trace done by QR code but staff happy to take details from those who could not use a QR code. (That used to be me!) Plenty of sanitiser and masks worn. One door used for entry and the fire exit next to it used for exit. The pub is part of a retail park which includes Asda and Dunbar Garden Centre. There is a Changing Places toilet in Dunbar which is supposed to have 24 hour access but sadly was locked when we were there, with a sign saying the Bleachingfield toilets were closed (Covid again, I suppose.) This rather defeats the point of having a RADAR key.