Update June 2014: we contacted the Hotel Continental in Whitstable as another place to stay. Their reply is as follows –
I’m afraid we do not (have rooms with wetrooms), the Premier Inn does, and I believe the Marine has rooms with wheelchair access. Sadly all our rooms are first or second floor and we do not have a lift. We do have Fisherman’s Huts with downstairs bedrooms and walk in showers, however all our huts have at least one step into them……That sounds good for me as that is the Whitstable experience!! (FJ)
www.whitstablefishermanshuts.com
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Whitstable on the North Kent coast is known as “Notting Hill On Sea”, along with Margate, Ramsgate & Herne Bay. Over the past decade there’s been an influx of Londoners, attracted by cheaper property prices and an abundance of Georgian and Victorian housing, beautiful beaches (pebbles rather than sand) & beach huts (made fashionable again by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway, founders of Red or Dead). Accompanying this has been an array of artists (encouraged by Tracey Emin, her Margate roots & her famous beach hut sold to Saatchi for £75k), gastro-pubs and shops.
So in the interests of style & disability the Relative Lieutenant went to investigate this trendy version of the ‘British Seaside’:
Me and Mrs Relative Lieutenant decided to drive out for the day to Whitstable to eat oysters (Mrs RL is an expert in seafood as her family business had a tuna fishing fleet in Taiwan). Aware that rock oysters are fresh all year round, natives only in “r” months, we sampled oysters at one of the many stalls in the market area at the docks. It’s fairly wheelchair friendly for access and the oysters at 60-70p each, were delicious.
Still hungry we called in at a packed Whitstable Oyster Company. From memory access at front door not so good (it’s on the beach front and there’s a boardwalk to the front door) and there’s no disabled loo facilities. Restaurant area had tables very close together but they assured us they have had disabled visitors. There were no tables available for 2 hours (at 3pm) so we decided to hang around in the bar area and supped a superb oyster mild beer. As luck would have it 2 lobster eaters were leaving and we hovered near them to secure our seats. Food was good – oysters (again) and Norfolk potted shrimp to start, followed by ‘so so’ sea bass and Maine(!) lobster, washed down with raspberry wheat beer. Stuffed and £70 Lighter we left to join the throng outside enjoying the sea and sun. All in all a very nice visit, recommend it.
Also recommended are: The Sportsman, the famous Michelin-starred beachside pub in Seasalter, (we reviewed this previously and gave it 2BBS Ticks), it has flat access and lots of room between tables but no disabled loo (it’s on the salt marshes so there’s nothing nearby either); tiny Wheelers Oyster Bar, the oldest restaurant in town, is also recommended but it holds just four tables (BYO wine) and we can’t find out about access as no response when you call. We assume it’s difficult as it’s so small but the food looks and sounds delicious from local lobsters to Rye bay scallops, crabs, native oysters and my favourite cockles & whelks. Salt Marsh restaurant gets good reviews and is behind The Duke of Cumberland, the access is level at the rear but there’s no disabled toilet, just a ‘ladies’ with 2 grab bars down a narrow passage!?!.
If you want somewhere to stay the Marine Hotel has a disabled room with wet room etc. and it’s also worth just popping in for a drink as the lounge has great sea views & a disabled toilet, (located near the reception). If in search of a disabled loo then there’s good old Pizza Express which says it has access, a disabled toilet and artwork inspired by Peter Cushing – gruesome??
lf you’re into ‘visual art’ then The Whitstable Biennale is on at the moment from 19 June to 4 July. Do let us know if you have a review of your own and don’t overdose on oysters or Peter Cushing inspired art, it could be fatal!