I understand how decent photos can really help reduce anxiety about how manageable a place will be. It often feels like you have to do a ridiculous amount of digging, to find out how accessible somewhere is for you. I’ve bold-ed that text because my point is that whilst accessibility info is available, it is generally just a brief statement along the lines of “we’re fully accessible”. Well, how full is “fully”? What obstacles are you going to experience? I’m a big fan of the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”. So here is my summary of our Hypnotic Universe, Eastthorpe Hall location.
Front door
Front (main) entrance. Taken from car park.
Let’s start at the front door of Eastthorpe Hall. The front door could be a challenge for those who have upper limb weakness or differences, or for less able wheelchair users, as there is no button to open the door. However, the door isn’t excessively heavy. In the event that you do experience difficulties, just press the doorbell (to the right hand side of the door), or call me on 07808 931714 and I’ll open the door for you. The threshold is flat and easily traversed by wheelchairs.
Flooring is Tarmac, with the exception of a small area of stone paving under the porch (in good condition).
Waiting Area
Photo taken from the front door, looking into the waiting area.
Waiting area – there is ample room here to turn and park a wheelchair or scooter.
Once through the front door, you’ll enter the waiting area. Seating is available for approximately 14 people. Roughly 8 of the seats are firm, although quite low.
If you are bringing a mobility scooter, I would advise that you park it here, in the waiting area. The corridor following the waiting area is narrow and lacks room to turn round, if needed.
Flooring from the front door itself, to the corridor where the office is situated, is sisal and carpet, with no steps. However, there is a hard wood floor with thin rug in front of the front seating area. In the rear seating area, there is carpeting.
Wheelchair users would find it easier to access the front seating area, as this is larger and has fewer obstacles.
Corridor
Therapy suite is first room on the left
The corridor between the waiting area and therapy suite is quite narrow and unsuitable for mobility scooters, due to lack of turning space and risk of blocking an evacuation route, if the event of a scooter failure. However, the distance between the front door and therapy suite is approximately 10-15 metres.
Flooring is carpet.
Therapy Suite
The door to the therapy suite is a fire door and therefore, heavier than a standard door. However, I lead everybody in and out, so you’re very unlikely to need to open it. Inside, the seating will be a challenge for some, due to the inclined back rest. However, if I’m notified in advance, I can borrow some different seating.
Flooring is carpet and although there is no rug, there is a hearth to the fireplace. The hearth reduces the room with to approximately 1.2 metres (4 feet) at its narrowest.
Therapy suite (taken from door). Note the type of seating.
I hope that helps those of you with additional accessibility needs. If you have any questions, please do get in touch. Likewise, we’d love to know if we can add anything to this page, in order to help you better.
