Maidstone welcomes visitors with limited mobility and accessibility challenges. Our hotels and attractions have worked hard to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable visit, so you can relax and enjoy your stay or day out.
Our attractions can be interesting, entertaining and can provide lots of fun. Of course some attractions are in ancient and listed buildings* and therefore may have limited access. However everyone at these attractions will be welcoming and will try to ensure you have a great day and can enjoy as much of it as possible.
A dementia friendly walk in Mote Park allows visitors to enjoy a safe, enjoyable route around the park. The walk which is approximately one-mile long, features a mix of visual interpretation panels and audio posts, and walkers are also encouraged to feel the bark textures on certain individual trees. There is a leaflet including a map to accompany the walk, that can be picked up at the cafe.
Accessibility to shops, the town centre, restaurants and services is generally very good but we do appreciate that mobility can be difficult in the heritage areas that are paved with cobbles and flagstones. There are many other places in the town that do have a more comfortable route for wheelchairs and for the visually impaired. The Accessable website provides an online guide where you can check access concerns at hundreds of shops, pubs and restaurants.
Accessible Accommodation
Many accommodation providers are able to cater for people with a range of disabilities. Have a look at our guide to accessible accommodation in Maidstone, but do contact the establishment direct to discuss your individual requirements.
Visitor Information
Maidstone Visitor Information is fully accessible and has a hearing loop. It is located in Maidstone Museum and has street level access. To further aid customers all staff have received training in either Disability Awareness or "Welcome All".
Shopmobility
Maidstone's shopmobility scheme aims to make the town centre an accessible shopping destination for all. It provides both electric scooters and manual wheelchairs to members. The fleet of scooters are available to hire through The Mall Chequers and Fremlin Walk shopping centres. To make things even easier there is parking for members at the shopping centre and they will deliver the scooter to your car.
Suitable for residents and visitors alike, there is an easy registration and booking arrangement with a membership of £5 with a and £3 hire fee per visit thereafter. You can borrow a manual wheelchair for free. To register call 01622 678 777. Members can then book through The Mall on 01622 351 180 or at Fremlin Walk on 01622 356 588.
Baby Fresh
The Mall Chequers Centre, has provided a baby fresh room where you can change your baby, or feed your baby in a comfortable clean area. Soft seating and a small soft play area is provided which those with more than one small child find very helpful.
* Sometimes the preservation of buildings does not allow for wheelchair access to all parts of it but often there will be a book of photographs or a DVD or articles from that part of the property that you can look at or handle, to help you get the most from your day out. Occasionally it is simply that corridors are not wide enough or there are spiral staircases in towers and it is impossible to make those corridors wider or to put in a lift. We appreciate your understanding in these matters and feel sure you will also want to preserve these buildings for the future.