Accessible days out for the bank holiday

With the two bank holidays the month of May brings, now is a great time to start planning how you’ll spend those extra days off. Although arranging a day trip or short break out can seem too much of a hassle for many wheelchair users, but there are plenty of facilities in most public attractions ensure you can navigate the area and enjoy accessible days out without a problem.

The West Midlands is host to many accessible venues that make a great bank holiday day out – we’ve listed a few of our favourites below.

Hardwick Hall

Located in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Hardwick Hall provides the perfect location for a bank holiday day out. Dubbed one of Britain’s finest Elizabethan houses, the beautiful home and surrounding grounds include objects dating back to the 16th Century, with a wide variety of decor and plants outside to be enjoyed.

The hall itself has ramped access, and provides 4 manual wheelchairs if you do not wish to bring your own, although booking is essential for this. The gardens are also largely accessible, with a map provided with an accessible route around the garden paths to enjoy the variety of plants, shrubbery and herbs displayed.

BBC Birmingham

For fans of all things media-related, a tour around the BBC Birmingham broadcasting centre can make a great day out for one of the bank holidays. Providing a peek behind the scenes of the various BBC studios, the entertaining tour guides guarantee a fantastic and informative route throughout the building, answering any questions you may have on the world of broadcasting.

The tour is well equipped for wheelchair access, but you can contact the BBC Birmingham Access Needs line to find out more information and ticket prices.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

The beautiful botanical gardens in Birmingham offer something for everyone, guaranteeing a relaxing and enjoyable day out for all the family. Featuring an array of glasshouses, gardens, playgrounds and a tearoom, there are a range of areas to choose from when planning your day.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens provides excellent wheelchair access throughout both the gardens and the glasshouses, and offers free loan of manual wheelchairs if you would rather not use your own.

Birmingham Hippodrome

Birmingham’s famous Hippodrome theatre boasts the highest annual attendance over any other theatre in the UK, guaranteeing a great day out if you choose to visit here for a show. With some of the finest productions in the world performing here, the bank holiday provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy a touch of culture. The Hippodrome has excellent wheelchair user facilities, with non-assisted wheelchair access possible, as well as additional assistance provided if you require it.

Bullring

What better way to spend the bank holiday than with a shopping spree at Birmingham’s famous Bullring Shopping Centre? With wheelchair access to all entrances, you should have no problem travelling to the Bullring and indulging in some retail therapy on your day off.

For the ultimate convenience when planning your day trips out, opting for a lightweight manual wheelchair ensures you can get out and about with minimal hassle. We provide a wide selection of manual wheelchairs and disability aids here at Stechford Mobility, with our experienced staff on hand to provide any further advice you may need.