Name: Kew Gardens
Item: Kew Gardens

Update Feb. 2018: Our blog on using the latest electric wheelchair – WHILL tells of the easy access at Kew Gardens and highlights the new attraction of The Hive,

‘a unique, multi-sensory experience designed to highlight the extraordinary life of bees. A feat of British engineering, it stands 17 metres tall, set in a wildflower meadow.’

However, the access isn’t good for scooters as they note:

“We are unable to accommodate mobility scooters due to the restricted width of the paths and interior space within The Hive. The path to The Hive is designed to be fully accessible but the gradient may feel steep to self-propelled wheelchair users.”

It is steep but is attainable if someone feels like pushing you and if the path is free from visitors. So we advise going ‘off peak’ if you want to see The Hive.

The Botanical restaurant was also visited and was also accessible.

The Hive at kew Gardens is the Latest Amazing Attraction at Kew Gardens

In a Meadow of Flowers it Resonates With The Buzz of Bees in a Nearby ‘Real’ Hive

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Mother’s Day is coming up soon. If you didn’t know what date it’s on yet, or if you had forgotten about it completely, it’s on the tenth of March this year. If you had forgotten about it then shame on you but you’ve been let off because we’re here to help you out.

Mother’s Day can be tricky to get right, especially for people with parents who are, or who are themselves, less able. You need find somewhere to do something really special and spoil Mum but it also needs to have good access if either you, or your mother, are in a wheelchair or walk with a stick.

We’ve made a list of some stylish and accessible places in the UK to go to for a really memorable Mother’s Day:

Kew Gardens

London’s Kew Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage site with over 300 acres of greenhouses and landscapes to explore. It’s one of the most famous gardens in the world and would be a great place to take nature lovers young and old. There are loads of activities to keep younger children busy and the access seems to be pretty good.

They give the following advice to wheelchair users: “Most of the buildings in the Gardens have level or ramped ground floor access for wheelchairs. The Gardens themselves are largely flat with tarmac paths in most places.” With the exceptions of the basement and upper galleries of the Palm House and Temperate House and the upper levels of the Princess of Wales Conservatory, the Gardens are accessible for wheelchair users. Even the 18 metre high walkway they have there is wheelchair accessible!

If you want to go to Kew Gardens, you do need to be a bit wary that there may be lot of walking to do, if you want to see everything, as the gardens are very large. But there are a couple of different bus tours of the gardens, both of which have space for one fixed wheelchair and room for folding wheelchairs to be put. They also have eight mobility scooters which are free to use, but must be booked in advance. Click here for more information on accessing the gardens.

Corrigan’s Mother and Daughter Cookery Classes, Mayfair

Corrigan’s, who offer regular cookery classes, are putting on a special Mother and Daughter class the day before Mother’s day. Their experienced chefs teach visitors how to bake bread (they are well-known for their bread), fillet fish, make a souffle and many other skills.

The classes, at £250 per person, are not cheap but you do get quite a lot on top of the lessons. You receive “champagne on arrival, a four course lunch with matched wines and a goodie bag with apron, a signed book and lots more”. It sounds like a lot of fun. If you want to do this you need to get in there really quickly as they only take a maximum of 12 people per class. If you miss out, they do hold other classes throughout the year.

Alternatively, if you’d rather have somebody else do the work for you, Corrigan’s also have a more traditional roast dinner on the Sunday. It includes dishes such as “Slow Cooked Mackerel with Vietnamese Dressing, Roast Hereford Beef with Horseradish Cream & Yorkshire Pudding and Rich Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramel Ice Cream.” Sounds like a delicious classic roast, which always goes down well.

We found that getting into the restaurant is OK although not perfect as you need to use a portable ramp. Once you’re inside the accessibility is great. The floors are on one level and are very smooth, with lots of space between tables, meaning it’s easy to get around in a wheelchair or with a walking stick. They also have an ‘exemplary’ disabled toilet.

Afternoon Tea at Sanderson, Fitzrovia

You could treat your mum to afternoon tea in London at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the five star Sanderson Hotel. For £30 a head you receive “a tower of creative indulgences” such as “Swiss roll-style sandwiches, hand-crafted strawberry & cream mushrooms, and your very own ‘Drink Me’ potion.” It’s a slightly alternative take on a traditional English afternoon tea which should be enjoyable and give you an extra something to talk about.

Sanderson has good access, including a disabled toilet. We gave it 2.5 BBS Ticks when we originally reviewed it.

Harvey Nichols

The access is generally very good in the Harvey Nichols bars and restaurants. There are restaurants in Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Dublin and Leeds as well as a couple in London.

All of Harvey Nichols restaurants and bars are putting on special Mother’s Day packages this year. They vary from location to location but they generally include a three course meal and a glass of bubbly. The exact details and prices vary but they all guarantee a bit of luxury in stylish surroundings.

Titchwell Manor, Norfolk

This is a really nice coastal restaurant and hotel. Titchwell Manor houses two restaurants; the Eating Rooms, a stunning and informal dining area and bar with a seaview terrace, and the fine dining Conservatory Restaurant. Both are in the capable hands of Head Chef Eric Snaith who won Chef of the Year at the Eastern Daily Press Norfolk Food and Drink Awards 2012. The food is great and it’s very disabled friendly.

Hyde & Co Speakeasy Style Bar, Bristol

It could be fun to take your mum to this speakeasy themed bar in Bristol. It’s a really cool space with great cocktails which has been done up to replicate the speakeasy experience. It’s currently rated tenth on World’s Best Bars reader’s top 100 list! So it’s an ideal place if you want to do something a little bit quirky and different.

There are access problems involved, particularly if one of your party is in a wheelchair, but they are not too major. If you want to go, you need to call ahead and they should be able to move a few things around for you although they don’t have a disabled toilet.

It’s a real experience to remember if you want to do something in the evening – it’s only open from 7pm. Click here for a more detailed review.

Mother’s Day Menu at The Hard Days Night Hotel, Liverpool

Blake’s restaurant at the, Beatles themed, Hard Days Night hotel has a special ‘Your Mother Should Know’ menu for Mother’s day.

Their website says: “Named after the famous Beatles’ song ‘Your Mother Should Know’, guests will be able to treat their mums to an unforgettable day on Sunday, March 10 with a delicious three-course menu that has been devised by Senior Executive Head Chef Paul Feery and his team.”

The menu is priced £32.50 per person and every mum gets a free bunch of flowers at the end of the meal. An especially good idea for anyone whose mum is a big Beatles fan.

Chatsworth House

Situated in the heart of the Peak District, Chatsworth House and Gardens is another good place to go if (weather permitting) you want do something ‘outdoorsy’. There are vast grounds outside which include a wheelchair accessible maze, a farmyard and an adventure playground for the kids. Then there is the house itself, which is owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and hosts ‘one of the most significant art collections in Europe’. The house, garden and farmyard all reopen for 2013 on Mother’s day.

Chatsworth say that they have always prided themselves on welcoming all visitors and they seem to have done all that is possible to be accessible for disabled people. They have a detailed run through of the access at Chatsworth on their website and a pretty comprehensive map which shows what parts of the park are most and least accessible for wheelchair users. The access may not always be perfect but it is pretty good for a largely outdoor space such as this and you always know where you stand.

We hope that these ideas help you to have an enjoyable Mother’s Day or at least to keep things relatively stress free. Hopefully, if nothing else, they can inspire you to think of somewhere nice to go this year.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there. You’re all amazing – keep it up!

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Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens

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