Overview

Minimal blue badge spaces and the other spaces are rather tight. Had to park some distance away to be able to park across two spaces to ensure enough room to get in and out vehicle. Steep hill to get down from the carpark to the main entrance. Main entrance big and airy with disabled friendly counters. Once out the main entrance there are toilets, steps or a diversion along and around if you need level access. The kerbs in the zoo are rather high and there aren’t many places with dropped kerbs or ramps to get on and off them. Quite a lot of the pathways are breaking up and becoming uneven. Zoo is on a very steep hillside and unfortunately most of the exhibits now seem to be towards the top end of the zoo. There is an accessible vehicle that can take wheelchair users to the top of the zoo. Those with limited mobility though are on their own. The vehicle is very limited in the passengers it can take splitting up a family potentially. Toilets are something to be desired and could certainly do with more regular cleaning. Staff, when you see any, are approachable if you can catch up with them.

Transport & Parking

Very limited disabled parking areas and car park is on a hill.

Access

Signage wasn’t great with high kerbs. Pathways are getting rough and uneven. Some steps aren’t clearly marked and hard to see. Limited seating around the park.

Toilets

Had grab rails etc. but was not clean or tidy. No changing places toilet.

Staff

Venue Manager responded to this review

Hello and thank you for choosing to visit us. I’m sorry to hear that you met with difficulties on your visit, we do aim to provide our visitors with 5 star customer service. I am currently collecting information on accessibility so that I can create an action plan and your feedback has been very useful. We do try to advertise about the age of the site, the hillside position and what facilities we have (including eight blue badge parking spaces and the mobility vehicle which is free to all of our visitors, not just those in wheelchairs). We apologise that this information is not clear enough and how we communicate will be part of the information I am gathering so we can make improvements. We are in the process of adding a changing places room, which will hopefully be operational very soon. I will update our information as soon as it is open. If you have any more specific feedback please feel free to email it to me at education@rzss.org.uk. I do hope you visit us again to see the improvements I am leading on. Best wishes, Amy – accessibility and inclusion manager.