Overview

I love a Timmies every once in a while, though I can confirm that the Canadian locations are definitely superior, despite using the same ingredients. My usual order is a rather basic double-double, but I’m also fond of the occasional French vanilla or Boston cream doughnut. Having spent much of the morning wheeling around Cardiff, I decided to pop into this branch for a coffee and a toastie to warm my cockles. Unfortunately, I found the experience rather poor due to a lack of access.

Transport & Parking

The closest train stations are Cardiff Central Railway Station, which is half a mile from this location, and Cardiff Queen Street Railway Station, which is slightly closer. The nearest bus stops are on the Kingsway, just past Cardiff Castle, 320 metres away, where several bus services operate.

Access

Whilst the building has step-free access, there’s a short tiled ramp leading up to the manual double doors at the entrance. Unfortunately, there is no way to signal for assistance to open the doors, and with there being two of them, it’s a nightmare for wheelchair or mobility aid users to manage. A passing member of the public saw me struggling to enter and kindly held the doors open for me. Once inside, I used a self-service terminal to place my order. However, none of the terminals were accessible or had an option to lower the input screen for wheelchair users or those unable to reach the higher sections. Because of this, I placed my order at the counter. My food was brought over to my table, which I appreciated, as carrying coffee between my knees is always a risky business! The most disappointing part of my visit was the accessible lift. Located to the right of the stairs, the lift leads to the accessible toilet on the upper floor. However, the lift had an adhesive sticker -clearly a permanent fixture - stating it was out of order. Judging by the three tables pushed together with two seats at each directly in front of the lift, it seems there’s no intention to repair it. To leave the building, I had to ask for help again, which was frustrating. It took some effort as a member of staff didn’t understand that I was asking for the door to be opened for me. Although the food and coffee were nice, this was a genuinely disappointing experience.

Toilets

I can tell you that the accessible toilets require a RADAR key to enter and that the door opens outwards. Unfortunately, I can’t provide any more detail because I was unable to access them due to the apparently abandoned lift.

Staff

The staff member who offered to bring my food over was pleasant, but when I asked another colleague for help leaving, there was quite a bit of back and forth as they seemed to have difficulty understanding that I was asking them to open the doors for me.

Photos