Overview

We popped in to grab coffee from their little tearoom. The garden centre and tearoom are wheelchair accessible, with predominantly smooth tarmac and tile surfaces. There are a few tight spots between displays in the indoor part, but alternative routes were available. The garden centre has two manual wheelchairs that can be borrowed by customers whilst shopping. They are stored at the tills, which are through the doors to the left as you pass through the entrance gate. The tea room is accessible. Dining furniture was very sparse inside due to COVID so I’m unsure how close the tables would normally be to each other. The coffee and cake were lovely, with gluten-free options available. I can highly recommend the GF cherry and coconut sponge.

Transport & Parking

There is plenty of parking, with labelled disabled spaces, although they appear no wider than the other spaces. I would recommend parking in the overflow car park if you are able to manage being slighter further from the entrance. There is a nearby bus stop on Bexhill Road, serviced by the low floor 98 and 99 buses.

Access

The garden centre is all on one level, with level access and no steps. Some of the displays may be too high to reach for wheelchair users who can’t stand.

Toilets

There is a single disabled toilet located next to the tearoom, no radar key necessary. The toilet is spacious and has plenty of grab handles, although they are white against white walls. There is plenty of room for the wheelchair user and a carer, but no adult changing space. I had no problem turning my powerchair and positioning next to the toilet. Transfer is to the left of your wheelchair when parked next to the toilet. It’s worth noting that the door is difficult to open for those with weaker arms and hands. The “door handle” is the small finger hook design used on many Radar systems, and there is an automatic closing mechanism on the door. There is no mirror available within the room.

Staff

Anything else you wish to tell us?

There are Perspex screens around the counters, and staff were wearing gloves and face masks. Tables at the tearoom are spaced for social distancing. Rethinking the auto closing mechanism on the toilet door could prove beneficial, as it is very hard to open the door with weak arms/hands. A mirror in the toilet would be an improvement.

Photos