July 1st 2015: I visited the Red Lion Inn for lunch to see how their up market restaurant was doing and assess disabled access but I arrived to find the kitchen about to close (I arrived 1:50 pm). So we settled for sandwiches which were very nice and thankfully on good, fresh bread. My lunch partner (who works nearby at the Sanger biotech campus) swears that the restaurant food is great and looking at the menu I have to say that it does look good e.g. Duo of Lamb, pan-seared lamb cutlet, slow roast breast, roasted new potatoes, spinach & garlic purée, baby carrot, red wine jus. Will visit again to review.
Red Lion Inn – Access at Rear
Up Market Restaurant Was Closed But Looks More Accessible Than The Bar
Bar Is a Bit Crowded But You May Get a Look In??
Garden Also Appears Accessible
The beer chosen was a good local brew “red and black” (named after the Red Lion Inn and the nearby Black Bull the sister pub). Also good was the summer lager “Sauvigon Blonde”, when I spotted the spelling mistake the nice bar person went to check and indeed it is supposed to be “Sauvignon” like the wine. Personally “sophie gone blonde” works for me. We agreed to leave the label as it was to see if anyone else noticed.
Checked out the access. To the front bar – tricky and would not advise it. However at the rear of the pub (car park end) there is a wheelchair friendly entrance to the restaurant.
Rear Accessible Entrance – Looks a Tad Narrow (Ed)
I would guess that the front bar is a bit cramped for someone in a wheelchair but I have seen worse – not a problem if you’re visiting the restaurant.
Path to the disabled loo was thru the restaurant and down a step,
Step To The Disabled Toilet – A Ludicrous Loo?
I was told there is also a ramp access down to the loo level. This was however blocked with a chair etc.
Entrance to Disabled Toilet Qualifies as a Ludicrous Loo!
However the Loo looks to be well equipped maybe a little cramped, but lots of mirrors, a dyson hand dryer at an appropriate level and grab rails…
Disabled Toilet Looks Good on Reflection & So Does The Relative Lieutenant
You need a car to get here from Cambridge – takes about 20 mins from CB1 if there’s no traffic and this 16th Century pub is situated in a lovely village.
Sorry but I didn’t ask about the bedrooms but I think they are all upstairs??
We checked and there is an accessible bedroom on the ground floor with a wet room and the appropriate grab rails – if anyone has been there let us know if this is correct…….In the meantime they get a provisional 2.5 BBS Ticks, despite their best efforts in making a perfectly good Disabled Toilet a ‘Ludicrous Loo’.
I do look good and please note the hawaiian shirt … god it was hot that day.
Unusually for a 16th Century building they’ve also managed to put an accessible bedroom on the ground floor with a wet room….Hurrah