Oxford University Press Book Shop
116-117 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BZ, United Kingdom | 01865 242913 | WebsiteUseless for wheelchair users - don't even bother going in
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This review is especially helpful for those who have or use the following: Powerchair
Overview
Most of this bookshop, devoted exclusively to Oxford University Press books, is on a sunken mezzanine and the basement, reachable only by staircases. I wasn't able to shop here. Zero stars.
Transport & Parking
Central Oxford is well-served by buses and the railway station, which is fully step-free, is less than a mile away. I don't know about parking in Oxford.
Access
Zero stars. The initial pleasure at finding a step-free entrance is quickly destroyed when you find that most of the books are in the sunken mezzanine level and in the basement, and these two areas are reachable only by stairs. So the vast majority of books in this shop are not accessible to wheelchair users and to anyone unable to use a staircase. Disgraceful. See my pictures below.
Toilets
I never got far enough into the shop to find out if there's a toilet.
Staff
The member of staff I spoke to was vaguely apologetic, and spoke briefly to someone else who claimed that they were not allowed to alter the building because of its age, and this is why there is no lift. This excuse is not acceptable. Many old buildings have a lift installed, and if you really can't bear to alter the fabric of the building, if you really insist on putting heritage before people, there are many other solutions, such as stairwell platform lifts, or platforms which ride up and down a staircase and fold away when they're not in use.
Anything else you wish to tell us?
If you're a wheelchair user, or if you can't use staircases, don't even bother going to this OUP bookshop.
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