I’ve attended Parliamentary meetings in the past with Trailblazers, who chair the All
Party Parliamentary Group for Young Disabled People, so was fairly familiar
with some areas of the House of Commons, but there was so much more to see.
The accessible route into the visitors entrance heads down a
long ramp, with a view of Big Ben to the right.
It feels right to pause, look around and take in the moment – here we
are at the seat of democracy!
After airport-style security checks, I arrived at
the start of the tour... The 900 year old Westminster Hall.
There is bench seating in Westminster Hall, and visitor
assistants can escort visitors with disabilities from Westminster Hall to
Central Lobby. This part is particularly interesting, as the accessible route
takes you to areas that visitors don’t usually get to see, and our assistant
was very keen to share even more information with us at this point. It is worth noting that the lift used is very
small, we just managed to squeeze the 3 of us in as my manual wheelchair
doesn’t take up much space. The tour is
step-free from Central Lobby onwards.
Our tour was self-guided using an audio tour, which offers a fascinating insight into the history and traditions that make up Parliament, whilst you are surrounded by beautiful art and architecture. The sheer size of the Palace of Westminster is amazing, and following the same route as the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament is pretty special.
Helpful staff advised of alternative routes where space may
be too narrow for a wheelchair to pass, and thankfully I managed to pass
through the very lavish Lords Chamber without scratching the leather benches!
At the end of the tour we were
encouraged to visit the Houses of
Parliament Shop, accessed via a more modern lift. Here you can buy everything from books, to
cufflinks, to wine. There is also a café
on the same level serving homemade Panini’s, coffee & cake, and lots more
yummy treats! An accessible public toilet,
including a changing bench and a hoist, can be found in Lower Waiting Hall just
off Central Lobby.
Accessible tourism sometimes gets a bad reputation but I received an impeccable level of service at all points – train, taxi and the
Houses of Parliament. To me, this raises
the question - If historic buildings such as the Houses of Parliament can
adapt, why can’t all others? After all,
culture is for everybody.
Disclaimer: Tour provided on a complimentary basis for the purposes of this review. This is an honest review and my opinions, as always, are entirely my own.
