Facilities for people with disabilities visiting Suffolk
This article - Facilities for disabled people visiting Suffolk - is 'work in progress' - as new pieces of information are received and added. If you have any comments or information to add please send an email to
info@suffolktouristguide.com so that your knowledge can be shared. If not please keep coming back to see what's new!
Beaches in Suffolk with disabled access
Felixstowe - The beach at Felixstowe is not really suitable for wheelchairs, although there are access ramps the beach is all shingle so it would be difficult to manoeuvrie the wheelchair once you reach the bottom of the ramp.
The local TIC does however have a beach wheelchair that can be used free of charge on a daily basis and you can book it by calling 01394 276770.
More information to follow
General
Optua Leisure organises sport and leisure activities, day trips and taster sessions for disabled people across Suffolk.
The aims of Optua Leisure are to encourage disabled people to become more active, which improves health and well-being, and to give them the opportunity to enjoy regular activities and to try new ones.
The service is available to anyone with a physical, sensory and/or learning disability. Registration is free, and comes with a quarterly newsletter packed full of exciting activities and events, news topics and articles from service providers and service users.
For more information about Optua Leisure see Optua Leisure website, call 01473 836770 or email leisure@optua.org.uk
Many of the rambling trails in Suffolk are fairly easy, partly because Suffolk is infamously flat! So ramblers with disabilities can get about and enjoy our countryside reasonably easily. The best organisation to contact for information on accessible trails and group hikes are the Disabled Ramblers. From their website "We are a group of like-minded disabled people who enjoy being in the countryside, and who get about using paths and trails of all kinds. We are truly 'ramblers', although very few of us can walk more than a few yards! Our membership consists mainly of mobility disabled people and we get about mainly through use of a wide variety of mobility aids, ranging from electrically powered pavement buggies, scooters, powerchairs and, in some cases, manually propelled wheelchairs. We organise rambles of varying difficulty from easy to challenging all over England and Wales, and, along with our volunteers, spouses and friends, each event provides recreation and challenge to suit every taste. " Click on the link above to access their website for more details.
Access for all in the Brecks includes 10 trails for everyone including those with restricted mobility. Call Brecks Partnership on 01842 760116 or see their website The Brecks for more information.
British Red Cross - provides short term loans of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames at a number of Red Cross Centres around Suffolk. For further information please contact the Medical Loan Service on 01473 219261.
Please also see the Medical Equipment Service listed at British Red Cross, Suffolk.
The National Stud in Newmarket has disabled toilets, a coach for the tour of the Stud grounds with a ramp, and also a ramp into the restaurant. Prebooking essential. Please see the National Stud, Newmarket.
OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES
Tailor made holiday and travel service for people with disabilities:
Accessible Travel and Leisure 01452 729739
Providers of holiday information for people with disabilities and their carers:
Holiday Care 01293 773716
Holiday Information and advice for people with a visual impairment
RNIB Holiday Service 020 7388 1266
Area Specific Information -
North Suffolk
5/09 One reader advises that the following restaurants/pubs have disabled access and disabled toilets
The Sole Bay, Southwold
The Five Bells, Wrentham
The Plough, Wangford
The Eels Foot, Eastbridge
The Racehorse, Westhall
Lowestoft area
D.I.A.L - Information Line - For general information on disability matters, and wheelchair hire in the Lowestoft area - call 01502 511333
Information supplied by DIAL
Eating Out - the following are accessible for wheelchair users –
Lowestoft
Brewers Fair 01502 733073 (wheelchair accessible with adapted toilet facilities)
*Carlton Manor 01502 566511 (wheelchair accessible toilets)
Potters Kiln 01502 733073
East Point Pavilion Restaurant 01502 538902 (fully accessible with adapted toilets)
*Hotel Victoria 01502 574433 (wheelchair accessible toilets and rooms)
Number One Pizza and Pancake Co 01502 501880
Jolly Sailors, 01502 561398 (no adapted toilets, ramp available)
Thatched Roof Restaurant 01502 566310 (no adapted toilets)
The Library, Godfrey’s Store 01502 516298 (adapted toilet)
The Ship Inn, 01502 562592 (fully accessible with adapted toilets)
Pakefield
*Fishers Hotel and Restaurant 01502 569805 (no adapted toilets)
Southwold
Five Bells Inn, Wrentham, 01502 675249 (wheelchair accessible toilets and rooms)
The Plough, 01502 578239 (adapted toilet)
The Randolph, Reydon 01502 723603 (no adapted toilets)
*Also provides accommodation.
Other accommodation options in the area
Lowestoft
Edingworth Guest House 01502 572051
Foxburrow Travel Inn 01502 572441
Somerton House Hotel 01502 565665
Oulton Broad
Broadlands Holiday Village 01502 573033
Parkhill Hotel 01502 730322
The Mill House B&B 01502 565038 (not suitable for wheelchairs)
Laurel Farm 01502 568724
Kessingland
Four Winds Retreat - Self Catering Accommodation, English Tourist Council 4 Star Rating, Mobility: Level 2, spacious accommodation in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere surrounded by the sea, woodland & marshland. Four-Winds is a detached property set in approximately 4 acres of grounds and has been in the hands of two families since the early 1920’s. It has retained its unusual originality and has recently had the addition of a purpose built annex. This annex has also been sympathetically designed with the disabled, wheel chair users & their carers in mind. We can provide a list of private local care agencies who can give nursing / care as required. However the owners, jane and Peter Garner, are usually on site if emergency assistance is required.
01502 740044
Kessingland Beach Holiday 01502 740636
Southwold
Newlands Country House 01502 722164 - unique within this area offering the best Disabled facilities in the Suffolk coastal area, first class accommodation, Heated indoor Swimming Pool thoughtfully designed rooms allow for various options tailored to individual’s needs. Grade 1 Accessible.
Call 01502-722164 speak to Penny or David
The Plough Inn, Wangford 01502 578239
Pakefield
Pontins Holiday Centre 08706 010479
Beccles
Pinetrees 01502 470796
Info from Lowestoft TIC
East Coast Mobility - 01502 514500
Shopmobility - Electric and manual wheelchairs and scooters are available for hire - 01502 588857
Social Services offer a variety of services for Blind and Partially sighted people -01502 405000
Toilets - Waveney District Council has introduced the Radar National Key Scheme for its disabled persons toilets. Keys vcan be purchased from the TICs at the East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft, and 69 High Street, Southwold, the DIAL office an the Shop Mobility Office.
Public conveniences specially equipped to cater for wheelchair users are situated in the following locations -
Lowestoft - Pakefield St, Claremont Pier South Beach, Triangle Market, Kirkley Cliff Road, South of South Beach, East Point Pavilion Visitor Centre, Town Hall High St, 161 Rotterdam Rd.
Oulton Broad - The Boulevard
Kessingland - near the Beach
Southwold - Church Green, Harbour Car Park, North Pier
Halesworth - Thoroughfare Car Park
Bungay - Bus Station St Mary's St
Beccles - The Quay Toilets, Blyburgate car park
Car parking - visitors in possession of an orange or blue badge may park their vehicle free of charge on all Council operated car parks for up to 3 hours, providing a current badge is displayed and the clock is correctly set.
Blickling Hall near Aylsham, Norwich, a National Trust house and gardens which are w/c accessible and also shop and cafe - can see the first floor as there is a dedicated lift.
Bure Valley Railway - there are dedicated w/c accessible coaches (might need to be pre-booked)
Lowestoft South Beach promenade recommended as being flat with toilet facilities.
Saxmundham
Park Farm Cottages - Sibton, Saxmundham. There are four cottages, all totally at ground level and have all had wheelchairs in, although only one has an Accessibility Grading. Tel David and Margaret Gray on 01728 668324 for details
Ipswich
The East Anglian Sailing Trust (EAST), is based in Ipswich and provides disabled people and their carers with regular opportunities to access and enjoy sailing activities whilst promoting enhanced independence, confidence and community involvement. see website for more details East Anglian Sailing Trust
Shopmobility - hire of motorised buggy or wheelchair for use in the town centre for shopping etc - 01473 222225
Wattisham Hall Holiday Cottages - 3 charming barn conversions in the heart of rural Suffolk open all year around for full weeks and short breaks, with a Level 1 Mobility award, each cottage has a bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor. Further information contact Jo and Jeremy Squirrell on 01449 740240.
Gladwins Farm - offers quiet self catering Suffolk hot tub holidays in tasteful conversions of period cottage farm buildings - they have two cottages that have Mobility 2 Level Accessibility approvals. Tel Robert 01206 262261
Bury St Edmunds Area
British Red Cross - British Red Cross - provides short term loans of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames at a number of Red Cross Centres around Suffolk. For further information please contact the Medical Loan Service on 01284 767215.
Please also see the Medical Equipment Service listed at British Red Cross, Suffolk
Theatre Royal, Disabled Access
A signal from the induction loop should be received from every seat in the auditorium.
There are four wheelchair accessible seats available in Dress Circle Boxes F, H, K and M. You are advised to book early for these seats. In the unlikely event that they are not available we will do our best to accommodate you elsewhere in the Theatre, or on an alternative date. On arrival, all wheelchair users are kindly requested to make themselves known to the duty manager who will be pleased to help you to your seat.
There is ramped access to both foyers and a ground floor adapted toilet in the Theatre foyer.
Please note that there is no level access to the Pit and the Upper Circle seating areas. All Dress Circle boxes have level access.
Guide Dogs are admitted to Dress Circle Boxes.
To receive any of our publications in a large print format please contact the Box Office at Theatre Royal
Sudbury Area
Fiddlesticks B&B, Pentlow see Fiddlesticks
Haverhill Area
Days Inn, Haverhill offers full accessable accommodation and wheelchair access to their restaurant facilities.
There are British Sign Language Interpreted Events at Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service
Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service strives to make its museums, exhibitions and events accessible to all kinds of visitors and the provision of British Sign Language Interpretation at 11 of this year’s summer events is testament to this aim. The museum service is a leader in the field of disability access and in 2007 was awarded a commendation for excellence at the Jodi Awards for ‘Excellence in Accessible Technology’.
The Bure Valley Railway is proud to be probably the first railway of any sort in the region to provide six carriages in which wheelchair-bound people of any age can be accommodated in comfort and security, along with their fellow passengers, friends and family.
The Bure Valley Railway offers full access to disabled passengers in wheelchairs.
Both Aylsham and Wroxham stations are all on the one level, including shops, toilets, café, platforms and even the workshops at Aylsham.
Along with our standard carriage fleet, there are six specially designed coaches which can carry wheelchairs easily. Each has a special seating arrangement plus double doors on both sides and detachable ramps. When the ordinary seats are down, these carriages have the same carrying capacity as regular carriages, but when the seats are raised they can each accommodate four manual wheelchairs securely.
Other types of wheelchair may be carried depending on their size.
When the BVR is running a full three-train service, every train normally has two of these coaches, giving disabled passengers a completely free choice of which train to catch.
For the more adventurous! - you might like to have a look at this website - Able Travel
Accessible Adventure Travel
Accessible African safaris and worldwide adventure travel advice for wheelchair users and physically disabled people.
Would you like to try an adventure holiday? Maybe go on safari, go skiing, explore another country and meet different cultures...
Based on personal experience of a C5/6 quadriplegic, and with input from you, this site tries to broaden disabled travel horizons.
info@suffolktouristguide.com so that your knowledge can be shared. If not please keep coming back to see what's new!
Beaches in Suffolk with disabled access
Felixstowe - The beach at Felixstowe is not really suitable for wheelchairs, although there are access ramps the beach is all shingle so it would be difficult to manoeuvrie the wheelchair once you reach the bottom of the ramp.
The local TIC does however have a beach wheelchair that can be used free of charge on a daily basis and you can book it by calling 01394 276770.
More information to follow
DisabledGo
DisabledGo provides free online access guides to over 80,000 venues across the UK and Ireland on www.disabledgo.com.
All kinds of places are visited in person and assessed. You can find detailed information about access to all kinds of places - cinemas, hotels, hospitals, colleges, sports grounds, restaurants, council offices, parks, tourist attractions – the list goes on and on.
You can also use the site to find a job, catch up on the latest disability news, advertise events, post articles and join in discussions on our forum.
Visit the site today - just click on the link above
DisabledGo provides free online access guides to over 80,000 venues across the UK and Ireland on www.disabledgo.com.
All kinds of places are visited in person and assessed. You can find detailed information about access to all kinds of places - cinemas, hotels, hospitals, colleges, sports grounds, restaurants, council offices, parks, tourist attractions – the list goes on and on.
You can also use the site to find a job, catch up on the latest disability news, advertise events, post articles and join in discussions on our forum.
Visit the site today - just click on the link above
General
Optua Leisure organises sport and leisure activities, day trips and taster sessions for disabled people across Suffolk.
The aims of Optua Leisure are to encourage disabled people to become more active, which improves health and well-being, and to give them the opportunity to enjoy regular activities and to try new ones.
The service is available to anyone with a physical, sensory and/or learning disability. Registration is free, and comes with a quarterly newsletter packed full of exciting activities and events, news topics and articles from service providers and service users.
For more information about Optua Leisure see Optua Leisure website, call 01473 836770 or email leisure@optua.org.uk
Many of the rambling trails in Suffolk are fairly easy, partly because Suffolk is infamously flat! So ramblers with disabilities can get about and enjoy our countryside reasonably easily. The best organisation to contact for information on accessible trails and group hikes are the Disabled Ramblers. From their website "We are a group of like-minded disabled people who enjoy being in the countryside, and who get about using paths and trails of all kinds. We are truly 'ramblers', although very few of us can walk more than a few yards! Our membership consists mainly of mobility disabled people and we get about mainly through use of a wide variety of mobility aids, ranging from electrically powered pavement buggies, scooters, powerchairs and, in some cases, manually propelled wheelchairs. We organise rambles of varying difficulty from easy to challenging all over England and Wales, and, along with our volunteers, spouses and friends, each event provides recreation and challenge to suit every taste. " Click on the link above to access their website for more details.
Access for all in the Brecks includes 10 trails for everyone including those with restricted mobility. Call Brecks Partnership on 01842 760116 or see their website The Brecks for more information.
The Hearing Care Centre Ltd
Suffolk's Only Multi-Award Winning, Private, Independent Hearing Aid Audiologists. Hearing assessments and the fitting of digital hearing instruments are the core business, but we also offer other services including custom made earplugs, repairs, batteries, accessories and tinnitus management. 13 centres available across Suffolk. We also organise several fundraising events across Suffolk for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
See website above for details.
Karen Finch RHAD FSHAA FRSA
5 High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3JZ - Tel: 0800 096 2637
Suffolk's Only Multi-Award Winning, Private, Independent Hearing Aid Audiologists. Hearing assessments and the fitting of digital hearing instruments are the core business, but we also offer other services including custom made earplugs, repairs, batteries, accessories and tinnitus management. 13 centres available across Suffolk. We also organise several fundraising events across Suffolk for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
See website above for details.
Karen Finch RHAD FSHAA FRSA
5 High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3JZ - Tel: 0800 096 2637
British Red Cross - provides short term loans of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames at a number of Red Cross Centres around Suffolk. For further information please contact the Medical Loan Service on 01473 219261.
Please also see the Medical Equipment Service listed at British Red Cross, Suffolk.
The National Stud in Newmarket has disabled toilets, a coach for the tour of the Stud grounds with a ramp, and also a ramp into the restaurant. Prebooking essential. Please see the National Stud, Newmarket.
OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES
Tailor made holiday and travel service for people with disabilities:
Accessible Travel and Leisure 01452 729739
Providers of holiday information for people with disabilities and their carers:
Holiday Care 01293 773716
Holiday Information and advice for people with a visual impairment
RNIB Holiday Service 020 7388 1266
Area Specific Information -
North Suffolk
5/09 One reader advises that the following restaurants/pubs have disabled access and disabled toilets
The Sole Bay, Southwold
The Five Bells, Wrentham
The Plough, Wangford
The Eels Foot, Eastbridge
The Racehorse, Westhall
Lowestoft area
D.I.A.L - Information Line - For general information on disability matters, and wheelchair hire in the Lowestoft area - call 01502 511333
Information supplied by DIAL
Eating Out - the following are accessible for wheelchair users –
Lowestoft
Brewers Fair 01502 733073 (wheelchair accessible with adapted toilet facilities)
*Carlton Manor 01502 566511 (wheelchair accessible toilets)
Potters Kiln 01502 733073
East Point Pavilion Restaurant 01502 538902 (fully accessible with adapted toilets)
*Hotel Victoria 01502 574433 (wheelchair accessible toilets and rooms)
Number One Pizza and Pancake Co 01502 501880
Jolly Sailors, 01502 561398 (no adapted toilets, ramp available)
Thatched Roof Restaurant 01502 566310 (no adapted toilets)
The Library, Godfrey’s Store 01502 516298 (adapted toilet)
The Ship Inn, 01502 562592 (fully accessible with adapted toilets)
Pakefield
*Fishers Hotel and Restaurant 01502 569805 (no adapted toilets)
Southwold
Five Bells Inn, Wrentham, 01502 675249 (wheelchair accessible toilets and rooms)
The Plough, 01502 578239 (adapted toilet)
The Randolph, Reydon 01502 723603 (no adapted toilets)
*Also provides accommodation.
Other accommodation options in the area
Lowestoft
Edingworth Guest House 01502 572051
Foxburrow Travel Inn 01502 572441
Somerton House Hotel 01502 565665
Oulton Broad
Broadlands Holiday Village 01502 573033
Parkhill Hotel 01502 730322
The Mill House B&B 01502 565038 (not suitable for wheelchairs)
Laurel Farm 01502 568724
Kessingland
Four Winds Retreat - Self Catering Accommodation, English Tourist Council 4 Star Rating, Mobility: Level 2, spacious accommodation in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere surrounded by the sea, woodland & marshland. Four-Winds is a detached property set in approximately 4 acres of grounds and has been in the hands of two families since the early 1920’s. It has retained its unusual originality and has recently had the addition of a purpose built annex. This annex has also been sympathetically designed with the disabled, wheel chair users & their carers in mind. We can provide a list of private local care agencies who can give nursing / care as required. However the owners, jane and Peter Garner, are usually on site if emergency assistance is required.
01502 740044
Kessingland Beach Holiday 01502 740636
Southwold
Newlands Country House 01502 722164 - unique within this area offering the best Disabled facilities in the Suffolk coastal area, first class accommodation, Heated indoor Swimming Pool thoughtfully designed rooms allow for various options tailored to individual’s needs. Grade 1 Accessible.
Call 01502-722164 speak to Penny or David
The Plough Inn, Wangford 01502 578239
Pakefield
Pontins Holiday Centre 08706 010479
Beccles
Pinetrees 01502 470796
Info from Lowestoft TIC
East Coast Mobility - 01502 514500
Shopmobility - Electric and manual wheelchairs and scooters are available for hire - 01502 588857
Social Services offer a variety of services for Blind and Partially sighted people -01502 405000
Toilets - Waveney District Council has introduced the Radar National Key Scheme for its disabled persons toilets. Keys vcan be purchased from the TICs at the East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft, and 69 High Street, Southwold, the DIAL office an the Shop Mobility Office.
Public conveniences specially equipped to cater for wheelchair users are situated in the following locations -
Lowestoft - Pakefield St, Claremont Pier South Beach, Triangle Market, Kirkley Cliff Road, South of South Beach, East Point Pavilion Visitor Centre, Town Hall High St, 161 Rotterdam Rd.
Oulton Broad - The Boulevard
Kessingland - near the Beach
Southwold - Church Green, Harbour Car Park, North Pier
Halesworth - Thoroughfare Car Park
Bungay - Bus Station St Mary's St
Beccles - The Quay Toilets, Blyburgate car park
Car parking - visitors in possession of an orange or blue badge may park their vehicle free of charge on all Council operated car parks for up to 3 hours, providing a current badge is displayed and the clock is correctly set.
Blickling Hall near Aylsham, Norwich, a National Trust house and gardens which are w/c accessible and also shop and cafe - can see the first floor as there is a dedicated lift.
Bure Valley Railway - there are dedicated w/c accessible coaches (might need to be pre-booked)
Lowestoft South Beach promenade recommended as being flat with toilet facilities.
Saxmundham
Park Farm Cottages - Sibton, Saxmundham. There are four cottages, all totally at ground level and have all had wheelchairs in, although only one has an Accessibility Grading. Tel David and Margaret Gray on 01728 668324 for details
Ipswich
The East Anglian Sailing Trust (EAST), is based in Ipswich and provides disabled people and their carers with regular opportunities to access and enjoy sailing activities whilst promoting enhanced independence, confidence and community involvement. see website for more details East Anglian Sailing Trust
Shopmobility - hire of motorised buggy or wheelchair for use in the town centre for shopping etc - 01473 222225
Wattisham Hall Holiday Cottages - 3 charming barn conversions in the heart of rural Suffolk open all year around for full weeks and short breaks, with a Level 1 Mobility award, each cottage has a bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor. Further information contact Jo and Jeremy Squirrell on 01449 740240.
Gladwins Farm - offers quiet self catering Suffolk hot tub holidays in tasteful conversions of period cottage farm buildings - they have two cottages that have Mobility 2 Level Accessibility approvals. Tel Robert 01206 262261
Bury St Edmunds Area
British Red Cross - British Red Cross - provides short term loans of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames at a number of Red Cross Centres around Suffolk. For further information please contact the Medical Loan Service on 01284 767215.
Please also see the Medical Equipment Service listed at British Red Cross, Suffolk
Theatre Royal, Disabled Access
A signal from the induction loop should be received from every seat in the auditorium.
There are four wheelchair accessible seats available in Dress Circle Boxes F, H, K and M. You are advised to book early for these seats. In the unlikely event that they are not available we will do our best to accommodate you elsewhere in the Theatre, or on an alternative date. On arrival, all wheelchair users are kindly requested to make themselves known to the duty manager who will be pleased to help you to your seat.
There is ramped access to both foyers and a ground floor adapted toilet in the Theatre foyer.
Please note that there is no level access to the Pit and the Upper Circle seating areas. All Dress Circle boxes have level access.
Guide Dogs are admitted to Dress Circle Boxes.
To receive any of our publications in a large print format please contact the Box Office at Theatre Royal
Sudbury Area
Fiddlesticks B&B, Pentlow see Fiddlesticks
Haverhill Area
Days Inn, Haverhill offers full accessable accommodation and wheelchair access to their restaurant facilities.
There are British Sign Language Interpreted Events at Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service
Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service strives to make its museums, exhibitions and events accessible to all kinds of visitors and the provision of British Sign Language Interpretation at 11 of this year’s summer events is testament to this aim. The museum service is a leader in the field of disability access and in 2007 was awarded a commendation for excellence at the Jodi Awards for ‘Excellence in Accessible Technology’.
The Bure Valley Railway is proud to be probably the first railway of any sort in the region to provide six carriages in which wheelchair-bound people of any age can be accommodated in comfort and security, along with their fellow passengers, friends and family.
The Bure Valley Railway offers full access to disabled passengers in wheelchairs.
Both Aylsham and Wroxham stations are all on the one level, including shops, toilets, café, platforms and even the workshops at Aylsham.
Along with our standard carriage fleet, there are six specially designed coaches which can carry wheelchairs easily. Each has a special seating arrangement plus double doors on both sides and detachable ramps. When the ordinary seats are down, these carriages have the same carrying capacity as regular carriages, but when the seats are raised they can each accommodate four manual wheelchairs securely.
Other types of wheelchair may be carried depending on their size.
When the BVR is running a full three-train service, every train normally has two of these coaches, giving disabled passengers a completely free choice of which train to catch.
For the more adventurous! - you might like to have a look at this website - Able Travel
Accessible Adventure Travel
Accessible African safaris and worldwide adventure travel advice for wheelchair users and physically disabled people.
Would you like to try an adventure holiday? Maybe go on safari, go skiing, explore another country and meet different cultures...
Based on personal experience of a C5/6 quadriplegic, and with input from you, this site tries to broaden disabled travel horizons.
