Accessible Portsmouth
For those with a disability or specific needs, there's more to a visitor destination than just its attractions or events. It must instead be open and welcoming to all.
Portsmouth, and its many attractions, is indeed open to all visitors. For example, The D-Day Story refit saw museum staff work closely with local disability forums to ensure nothing was left out or overlooked. The new Mary Rose Museum underwent a similar procedure of its own, and now has scooters available to hire, a meet and greet service, lifts between all floors, wheelchair-accessible toilets and lots more.
Gunwharf Quays works with AccessAble to audit the centre and ensure it's accessible to all. There are 35 disabled car parking spaces on site, as well as a shop mobility scheme offering electric scooters, powered wheelchairs and manual wheelchairs. Additionally, there are accessible toilets at all three of the site's facilities, as well as a Changing Places room with a hoist. Take a look at the Access and Mobility page on the Gunwharf Quays website for full details.
Elsewhere there are designated Changing Places toilets at Portsmouth Museum & Art Gallery and at the D-Day Story Car Park.
The city is also blessed in terms of its geography. Being a relatively small, flat island makes Portsmouth incredibly easy to get around. Plus, with pathways such as the Millennium Promenade creating miles of unbroken routes between some of our most popular visitor attractions, navigation couldn't be easier. There is also plenty of disabled parking throughout the city, as well as a Community Toilet scheme, where certain pubs, restaurants and more allow free access to their toilets for all.
We have worked with AccessAble (formerly DisabledGo) to provide detailed and accurate information for all disabled visitors to research ahead of their visit. Additionally, our Visitor Information staff are knowledgeable on all city attractions and can answer any queries people may have about accessibility. Contact details can be found below.
You can also download the Route4U app from your chosen app store. The app helps you to discover alternative maps and routes for the city that are tailored to those with wheelchairs, pushchairs or reduced mobility. In fact, Portsmouth was the first city in the UK to introduce Route4U technology, following close collaboration between the app developers and Portsmouth City Council.
Wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be hired for visitors - see the Lendo Care website for further details.
If you have any queries, Visitor Information can be reached via email, or by calling into one of the Visitor Information Centres.
