Disability Access

Walkabout pub, Leeds

2005-07-01T08:36:00.000+01:00

Walkabout pub, Cookridge Street, Leeds (over the road and turn left from Morissons going out of town)

Good points:
Great food (crocodile was ace!)
Friendly, helpful (and darned attractive) staff... they even lent me a stapler once!
Disabled toilet on street level
Vanilla Mudshakes for £1 !!!!! (in June 2005)

Bad points:
Need to attract someone's attention to open large fire-door to internal ramp (if you are in an electric chair or can't manage 1 small step)
No real ale

Overall:
A chain that I hadn't tried for yonks but was more than pleasantly surprised.
An intercom, bell or even phone no to call would enable independent access.

The Dale (Wetherspoons), Willenhall, W.Mids

2005-07-01T08:24:00.000+01:00

The Dale pub, Willenhall, W.Mids (by Somerfield)

Good Points:
Has a chair lift just inside the doors which you can actually use without waving franticly at the bar staff!
Usual Wetherspoon fayre i.e. good range of real ale and guests, good food, disabled toilet

Bad points:
Usual "sticky bar and tables" issue

Overall:
Always a safe bet afternoon/early evening (dunno about nighttime as I'm too old for all that!)

Barrell & Shive pub, Willenhall, W.Mids

2005-07-01T08:09:00.000+01:00

Barrell & Shive pub, Market Place, Willenhall, W.Mids

Good points:
Level access
Basic, cheap and friendly boozer
Toilets ok if you can do 4 or 5 steps and walk a few yards
Regular "free & easy" sessions
Opens around 9.30am!

Bad points:
Cask ale could be kept better

Overall:
Ok if you fancy a quick one while going round the market
Difficult to see how access could be improved without a major refurb including knocking walls down and relocating the bar which could destroy the character and possibly put up the prices

Miraj restaurant, Northampton

2005-07-01T08:02:00.000+01:00

Miraj restaurant, Wellington Street, Northampton town centre (behind M&S)

Good points:
Absolutely top, scrumdiddlyumptious indian nosh
Very clean and funky surroundings
Friendly, helpful and efficient staff
Level access throughgout
Disabled and able-bodied toilets clean and accessible
Probably the best veggie samosas anywhere

Bad points:
Really cannot think of any

Overall:
10/10 the best for quality indian food, environment, service and accessibility IMHO. A must visit if you're ever in Northampton.

Goose on Two Streets, Northampton

2005-06-30T16:49:00.000+01:00

Goose on Two Streets, Fish Street, Northampton town centre

Good points:
Decent, cheap beer and food
Decent staff
Street level access (opposite Post Office on St Giles Street)
Disabled toilet

Bad points:
Bit noisy at times and a drop in centre for the voddy & Red Bull quaffing Albanians

Overall:
Second only to the Moon for access and value

Leeds Central Library

2005-06-30T16:46:00.000+01:00

Good points:
erm....

Bad points:
Woefully inadequate signage
Incompetent/impertinent staff
Ridiculous systems including: you have to join the library in order to use the toilet, disabled or otherwise! Thus, if visiting Leeds don't expect to pop in the library for a slash!
PC/internet access: see toilets

Overall: computer says no

Moon on the Square, Northampton

2005-06-30T16:20:00.000+01:00

Moon on the Square, Pub, Market Square, Northampton

Good points:
Good real ale, really cheap
Good food so I'm told
Level access
Disabled toilet
Friendly staff who seem to take a little pride in their work

Bad points:
Disabled toilet often left open and used by anyone lazy enough not to use the stairs

Overall:
Top banana!

Room, restaurant, Leeds

2005-06-30T16:17:00.000+01:00

Room, restaurant, Boar Lane, Leeds (near train station)

Good points:
Top nosh
Groovy atmosphere
Good service
Helpful staff
Door-staff will hail a taxi for you!

Bad points:
Steps to main entrance
Disabled entrance "round the back"

Overall:
Bloody nice place that just needs a minor tweak

FAB bar, Leeds

2005-06-30T16:14:00.000+01:00

FAB bar, Leeds (near Morrissons)

Good points:
Cheap beer
Friendly, funky staff
Disabled toilet
Space invaders for 10p
Cool memorabilia
Access via fire escape at street level

Bad points:
No bell or intercom, therefore have to get a mate to pop in first

Overall:
Top bar that just needs a bell/intercom fitting

Yates, Leeds

2005-06-30T16:09:00.000+01:00

Yates, Leeds (opposite Morrissons in city centre)

Good points:
Erm....
Has a disabled toilet

Bad points:
Smoking/non-smoking areas inadequately separated
Both main entrances have steps
A lift does exist outside, but no bell/intercom exists, therefore one has to get out of your wheelchair, crawl up the steps and across the pub floor to find barstaff who will work the lift for you.

Overall:
Bunch of wankers whose response when asked why the chair lift could not be used from outside stated arrogantly "you'd get people pratting about on it all the time"

Whitelock Pub, Leeds

2005-06-30T16:04:00.000+01:00

Whitelock Pub, Turks Head Yard, Briggate, Leeds, LS1 6HB

Good points:
Level access
Great real ales
Good food (so I'm told)
Outside seating
Central

Bad points:
No downstairs toilet!!!!
Barrels outside pub make things rather awkward

Overall:
A great pub which prides itself on a reputation for top beer and food but has flouted it's obligations under the DDA act by making absolutely no modifications whatsoever. (In the entire 3 years that Jit was studying in Leeds)