Overview

I agree with another reviewer that the doors are very heavy, luckily for me, the doors are open all the time to improve ventilation as a result of the pandemic which is great for easy access. I have found the staff to be lovely and will go out of their way to accommodate me as a wheelchair user. The reception area is positioned in such a way that they would be able to spot someone struggling with the door. Before the pandemic when the doors were closed, I would wave from the door to get help. Perhaps a doorbell would be a helpful improvement? When I go for an eye test I normally phone and let them know that I'm in a wheelchair so that they know I'll need extra room. But I recently used the online booking system for the first time but have been told that wheelchair users should only book through the phone – which is disappointing. I had to rearrange my appointment due to accessibility issues despite there being no indication on the website that the room linked with the chosen date was inaccessible. Hopefully, this is something which can be improved for the future. The eye test chair is removed for my test so that I can back my wheelchair into the space, and this negates the need for transferring (which I can no longer do). If you have an eye test booked upstairs, then it can be accessed by the back door which is easy to get to by going through the alleyway – although it is quite narrow. The shop is quite difficult to navigate with a wheelchair due to the limited space. I've got to be very careful when maneuvering past all of the equipment which is quite difficult especially when I need a new pair of glasses lol. It would be helpful if Specsavers Elgin highlighted the procedures, they have in place to help people with disabilities to avoid confusion and aid in a smoother visit. I believe that the staff do the best they can with the resources they have.

Transport & Parking

There are a few car parks near Specsavers which are all around about a 5-minute walk away with lots of disabled parking spots available. There is no parking available directly in front of the shop due to the area being pedestrianized. Which may make it unsuitable for some people with disabilities. The area surrounding Specsavers is very wheelchair accessible as all of the pavements are flat although the bumpy stone paving in between might gie yi a sare bum lol. The nearest bus station is about a 5-minute walk from Specsavers outside St Giles shopping centre where there is a disabled toilet which can be accessed using a radar key or by asking staff for access. The nearest train is about a 15-minute walk away and is beside Asda where a disabled toilet can be found either in Asda or at the train station. There is a busy road on the route to the train station from Specsavers. There are lots local of taxis available which are wheelchair accessible.

Access

There are ramps to get into Specsavers but the heavy doors may present an issue if they are left closed but at the moment are kept open to improve ventilation. There is a tiny waiting area that is accessed by going up the ramp where there are two eye test rooms and a set of 3 steps to access the upper area where the hearing test area, contacts lens area, and the rest of the eye test rooms can be found. I did not notice Braille but will try to look out for it next time I visit. The upper area can be accessed through the back door which is up the side alley. The layout and size of the shop are not easy to navigate.

Toilets

There are no accessible toilets available on the premises. Accessible toilets can be found at: - St Giles Shopping Centre (Radar key/ask staff) - The Pancake Place - The train station - Tesco/Asda These are the only ones I know of but there are definitely more than that.

Staff

They are lovely and accommodating.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

Staff all wear masks. The front door is open for ventilation. There is hand sanitizer available but the stand for the one in the reception is too high for wheelchair users. I always bring my own because this is similar to other shops - the hand sanitizer is unreachable.