Today is the first post in a 6 part series exploring the best venues with disabled access in Kent. In the post we’re going to look at the best pubs with disabled access in Kent.
Best Pubs With Disabled Access In Kent
You may be wondering why I started this whole disabled access blog series. Well, after joining Smoking Chili Media earlier this summer, I got to talking with one of the cofounders Alistair Dodds about my personal experiences as a wheelchair user.
He noticed that I face a lot of challenges when going out to public places and thought it would be a good idea to create a publicly available resource for other wheelchair users if there was not an existing one.
I started looking into current disabled access resources in Kent and found that the information was either not available or misleading. I reported this information back to Alistair and asked him whether we could turn it into a project.
He loved the idea and commissioned me to research venues in multiple business verticals. He then asked me to create a blog series with infographics so that wheelchair users could refer to the info in future. Long story short, today’s post is the first in the series.
Pub Disabled Access Criteria
I began researching pubs within the Kent area by ringing round and finding out whether they had disabled access. You’d be surprised to know a lot of them don’t which, in 2018, is pretty shocking to a lot of people.
From this shortlist I then started looking at their Google and Facebook reviews. I also went and visited some to ensure that what they were stating on the phone was true (really I just wanted an excuse to go in for a drink but don’t tell the boss!).
Now, I know what you’re thinking “this is all very well and good, but who is to say what qualifies as disabled access?”.
4 Key Points
Let me break it down for you. When you’re a wheelchair user you look for four main aspects to deem a place disabled friendly:
1. Disabled parking. We need space to get our equipment out of the car. The worst thing is when you park up and you can’t get your wheelchair out because the spaces are too small. You’re effectively boxed in with nowhere to go. In addition, regular spaces are normally about half a mile (slight exaggeration although it can feel it) from the entrance and that’s a long way to push yourself.
2. Wide doors. There’s nothing worse than getting to a nice pub and then realising your wheelchair is too wide to fit through the door.
3. Flat access. And not only is there a wide door but also a stonking great step at the door! Talk about an unfriendly welcome as you and your family or friends have to completely reroute and change destination.
4. Disabled loo. All of us wheelchair users have been there. You’ve drunk a little bit too much, realised nature is calling and thought “Right, where is the loo?” only to find out there isn’t a disabled loo! Your only option at this point is to awkwardly ask one of your friends or family to help you into the tiny able-bodied toilet, which is very annoying and embarrassing for any wheelchair user.
Best Pubs With Disabled Access In Kent
So I hereby present to you the best pubs with disabled access in Kent as researched by myself. All of them are excellent and come with an official seal of approval and recommendation. Cheers!
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