Pubs & Restaurants

*Accessible Places to Eat & Drink Around Maidstone*

This is the beginnings of a list of wheelchair accessible pubs and restaurants in and around Maidstone. At the moment it's being compiled through personal experience from actual visits to the various establishments the area. Trouble is that when we find a suitable place we tend to keep going back there rather than expanding the list by trying other places! - As a result, the list so far remains short but we will try to expand it as time goes on from our own endeavours. Of course if, on the other hand, you know of any other places worthy of inclusion here please e-mail me at david.campfield@btinternet.com. Other restaurants have been visited where we have experienced access problems, in all cases these were not insurmountable but at present I am confining this list to totally problem free venues

NAME GENERAL COMMENTS Notes

Lockmeadow Leisure Complex,
Barker Road,
Maidstone

An accessible Leisure complex in central Maidstone which includes several "chain" restaurants:-
- Frankie & Benny's,
- Old Orleans
Vegetarian food available in all.
The complex also Includes several accessible cinemas
No problems whatsoever from a wheelchair user's point of view, flat access throughout the complex and lifts where necessary. I can't remember if there are Wheelchair accessible WCs within each individual restaurant, certainly there are in some but I'm not sure if there are in all, (I'll check on this when I'm next there) There are, however, several Wheelchair Accessible WCs located within the overall complex outside of the individual restaurants. Tables within restaurants are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.

The Muggleton Inn,
8-9 High Street,
Maidstone
((01622) 691527
J.D.Wetherspoon Pub also doing pub meals & sandwiches. Vegetarian dishes available
Totally flat access to enter (NB. There are 2 entrances from the street -one on the left does have steps but to the right is a less obvious street entrance with a wide door which is totally flat) There is a wheelchair accessible WC once inside. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.

The Park Gate Inn,
Ashford Road,
Hollinbourne,
Maidstone
((01622) 880582
"Vintage Inns" brand pub/restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available. Totally flat access to enter (NB. There are 2 entrances - the main entrance from the car park is at the rear and has steps and thus not negotiable in a wheelchair but there is another entrance at the front which is flat and ok for wheelchairs. There is a wheelchair accessible WC once inside. Tables are generally OK to sit at and eat from a wheelchair.

The Plough,
Sutton Road,
Langley
((01622) 842159
Independent Pub with Restaurant attached. Fairly typical of the genre - not one of the big "Beefeater"/"Chef & Brewer" type chains. Vegetarian dishes available
Generally easy access throughout. There is a frame at the bottom of the front door and while wheelchair users will not need to be lifted at all it is helpful to have a companion to push you over it. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables within the restaurant are of a design which makes sitting at a table in a wheelchair possible without problem

The Roebuck,
West Street,
Harrietsham,
Nr Maidstone,
Kent
((01622) 858388
Whitbread Group, "Brewer's Fayre " brand pub/restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available. Totally flat access to enter. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Table sizes are a little small and less than perfect from the wheelchair users point of view although not overly problematic.

The Society Rooms,
Brenchley House,
Week Street,
Maidstone,
Kent
((01622) 350910
J.D.Wetherspoon Pub also doing pub meals & sandwiches. Vegetarian dishes available There are several entrances some of these have steps but the Week Street entrance is virtually flat with just one 2cm "step" and negotiable in a wheelchair without problem. There is a wheelchair accessible WC once inside. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.

La Tasca
58 Earl Street
Maidstone

((01622) 669 626
Spanish Tapas Bar /Restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available. Part of the La Tasca chain but doesn't have the feel of a chainrestaurant. Flat access to enter . There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.

The White Rabbit,
Sandling Road,
Maidstone
((01622) 692212
"Vintage Inns" brand pub/restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available. Totally flat access to enter. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.

Yates Wine Lodge,
15-17 King Street,
Maidstone
((01622) 671307

Pub/Wine Bar also doing pub meals & sandwiches. Vegetarian dishes available

Flat access to enter. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. However, Tables are of a design which makes sitting properly at a table in a wheelchair difficult, particularly if you intend eating more than a sandwich.

Zizzi
46-50 Earl Street
Maidstone
((01622) 675248
Pasta & Pizza Restauarant. Vegetarian dishes available Has the feel & ambiance of a "proper" restaurant and not that of the more well known PizzaHut/Land chains
Flat access to enter with very slight slope at the entrance door. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.

David Campfield

Last revised: August 23rd 2006

NAME	GENERAL COMMENTS	Notes
Lockmeadow Leisure Complex, Barker Road, Maidstone	An accessible Leisure complex in central Maidstone which includes several "chain" restaurants:- - Frankie & Benny's, - Old Orleans Vegetarian food available in all. The complex also Includes several accessible cinemas	No problems whatsoever from a wheelchair user's point of view, flat access throughout the complex and lifts where necessary. I can't remember if there are Wheelchair accessible WCs within *each* individual restaurant, certainly there are in *some* but I'm not sure if there are in *all*, (I'll check on this when I'm next there) There are, however, several Wheelchair Accessible WCs located within the overall complex outside of the individual restaurants. Tables within restaurants are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.
The Muggleton Inn, 8-9 High Street, Maidstone ((01622) 691527	J.D.Wetherspoon Pub also doing pub meals & sandwiches. Vegetarian dishes available	Totally flat access to enter (NB. There are 2 entrances from the street -one on the left does have steps but to the right is a less obvious street entrance with a wide door which is totally flat) There is a wheelchair accessible WC once inside. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.
The Park Gate Inn, Ashford Road, Hollinbourne, Maidstone ((01622) 880582	"Vintage Inns" brand pub/restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available.	Totally flat access to enter (NB. There are 2 entrances - the main entrance from the car park is *at the rear and has steps and thus not negotiable in a wheelchair* but there is another entrance *at the front which is flat and ok for wheelchairs.* There is a wheelchair accessible WC once inside. Tables are generally OK to sit at and eat from a wheelchair.
The Plough, Sutton Road, Langley ((01622) 842159	Independent Pub with Restaurant attached. Fairly typical of the genre - *not* one of the big "Beefeater"/"Chef & Brewer" type chains. Vegetarian dishes available	Generally easy access throughout. There is a frame at the bottom of the front door and while wheelchair users will not need to be lifted at all it is helpful to have a companion to push you over it. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables within the restaurant are of a design which makes sitting at a table in a wheelchair possible without problem
The Roebuck, West Street, Harrietsham, Nr Maidstone, Kent ((01622) 858388	Whitbread Group, "Brewer's Fayre " brand pub/restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available.	Totally flat access to enter. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Table sizes are a little small and less than perfect from the wheelchair users point of view although not overly problematic.
The Society Rooms, Brenchley House, Week Street, Maidstone, Kent ((01622) 350910	J.D.Wetherspoon Pub also doing pub meals & sandwiches. Vegetarian dishes available	There are several entrances some of these have steps but the *Week Street* entrance is virtually flat with just one 2cm "step" and negotiable in a wheelchair without problem. There is a wheelchair accessible WC once inside. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.
La Tasca 58 Earl Street Maidstone ((01622) 669 626	Spanish Tapas Bar /Restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available. Part of the La Tasca chain but doesn't have the feel of a chainrestaurant.	Flat access to enter . There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.
The White Rabbit, Sandling Road, Maidstone ((01622) 692212	"Vintage Inns" brand pub/restaurant. Vegetarian dishes available.	Totally flat access to enter. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.
Yates Wine Lodge, 15-17 King Street, Maidstone ((01622) 671307	Pub/Wine Bar also doing pub meals & sandwiches. Vegetarian dishes available	Flat access to enter. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. However, Tables are of a design which makes sitting properly at a table in a wheelchair difficult, particularly if you intend eating more than a sandwich.
Zizzi 46-50 Earl Street Maidstone ((01622) 675248	Pasta & Pizza Restauarant. Vegetarian dishes available Has the feel & ambiance of a "proper" restaurant and not that of the more well known PizzaHut/Land chains	Flat access to enter with very slight slope at the entrance door. There is a wheelchair accessible WC. Tables are generally OK to get close to in a wheelchair.