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Penshurst Place and Gardens - Porcupine Pantry

Penshurst Place, Penshurst, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 8DG

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About this venue

Penshurst Place and Gardens is a family-owned countryside manor house attraction in West Kent, comprising of a medieval and Elizabethan manor house covering the ground and first floor, and 11 acres of formal gardens. Visitors can also enjoy a range of special events throughout the year, as well as an on-site Gift Shop, Cafe and Plant Centre that are open year round.

Access Guide

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Summary

  • There is onsite parking available here with designated Blue Badge parking.
  • The most accessible entrance has: a steep ramp/slope and manual doors.
  • There is step free access once inside.
  • Toilet and changing facilities available include: an accessible toilet for the use of everyone and step free standard toilets.
  • This accessible toilet is approximately 20m from the main entrance.
  • This venue also has the following available: seating and facilities for assistance dogs.

Parking

  • This venue has a car park .
  • This is an open air car park with a grass and loose chippings surface.
  • Parking is free for all users.
  • There are 7 Blue Badge parking bays.
  • The nearest Blue Badge bay is 70m from the house entrance.
  • Potential obstacles between the Blue Badge parking and the entrance include loose chippings, grass, slopes/ramps, bollards on walkways with poor colour contrast and no visual identification band and a squeeze or offset gap.
  • There is not a designated drop-off point.

Public Transport

  • There is not a bus stop within approximately 150m of the venue.
  • The nearest train station is Penshurst.

Entrance (Main)

  • There is ramped/sloped access at this entrance.
  • There is a ramp with a steep gradient and a width between 75cm and 150cm.
  • The ramp has a handrail on the right.
  • There are double manual doors (with one door locked) which open towards you.
  • The width of the opening is 78cm.
  • There is not a second set of doors.
  • Comments View
    • There is a similar entrance with stepped access next to this one. There are 2 steps at this entrance (photograph 3).

Eating and Drinking

  • This is a café which serves hot and cold meals and snacks.
  • There is ramped/sloped access.
  • There is a counter where food and drink can be ordered and staff can provide assistance.
  • Menu types include; large print menus and written wall menus.
  • Menus are easy to read.
  • The following are available here: drinking straws, takeaway cups, takeaway cutlery and a portable card machine for payment.
  • There is no (or very little) background noise here.
  • There is not a low level counter at the recommended height for wheelchair users.
  • The seating area has: room for a wheelchair user, tables which are accessible to wheelchair users, chairs without armrests, long tables and bench seats.
  • The seating area does not have: a priority table.
  • There are some tables which are at a recommended height for wheelchair users.
  • The following furniture is permanently fixed: some of the chairs.
  • All flooring in the area is smooth and even.
  • The flooring , with and a very shiny finish which may cause glare or look slippery to some people.

Entrance (Accessible Toilet)

  • The entrance surveyed is located at the far end of the venue to the right of the counter.
  • There is step-free level access at the entrance.
  • There is a single manual door which opens away from you.
  • The width of the opening is 78cm.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of less than 1.5cm.
  • This entrance bypasses the external ramped approach to the Accessible Toilet.

Accessible Toilet (Right Hand Transfer)

  • There is ramped/sloped access into the accessible toilet.
  • There is pictorial signage on or near the toilet door.
  • There is a manual door which opens outwards and has a poor colour contrast.
  • The door has a twist lock.
  • The width of the accessible toilet door opening is 86cm.
  • The dimensions of the cubicle are 148cm x 220cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
  • There is a lateral transfer space to the right of the seat.
  • The lateral transfer space is 80cm from the side of the toilet pan to the wall.
  • There is a lever flush on the transfer side.
  • The following grab rails are available: a horizontal grab rail on the door, a horizontal grab rail on the non transfer side, a vertical grab rail on the transfer side and vertical grab rails on both sides of the wash basin.
  • There is a dropdown rail on the transfer side.
  • The following have a good colour contrast with their surroundings: the internal door, some grab rails and the floor.
  • The following have a less clear colour contrast with their surroundings: all grab rails, some grab rails and the toilet seat.
  • There is pull cord emergency alarm at a recommended height for a seated user.
  • The cubicle also has a shelf suitable for stoma users, a waste bin with lid and a sanitary bin.
  • The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
  • The following fixtures are at the recommended height for seated users: the toilet roll holder, the soap dispenser and towel dispenser.
  • The following fixtures are not at a recommended height for seated users: the toilet seat, the wash basin and the baby changing facility.
  • The following fixtures can be reached from the toilet seat: the toilet roll holder, the wash basin and the soap dispenser.
  • The following fixtures cannot be reached from the toilet seat: towel dispenser.
  • The facility is located outside the Porcupine Pantry, to the far right of the entrance door as you face the building. The facility can also be accessed via a door inside the café.

Standard Toilet(s)

  • There is step-free access into the toilet(s).
  • The male and female standard toilets were surveyed.
  • The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.

Exit

  • The exit is located to the right of the counter.
  • There is not step-free access at the exit.
  • There is a single manual door which opens away from you.
  • The width of the opening is 74cm.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the exit with a height of more than 1.5cm.
  • There is 1 step beyond the exit, which is unmarked, with no handrails.
  • Some of the steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm).
  • This stepped exit can be bypassed by using the main entrance.

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