Tag Archives: accessible attractions

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Attractions: The Queen’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

Quingo Scooters once again take you to one of the UK’s incredible attractions as part of our Accessible Attractions series. This week we’re heading to Edinburgh to marvel at some of the world’s greatest works of art!

Located at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, The Queen’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse is home to a rotating collection of art. The location of Holyrood Palace makes it an excellent choice for a day visit, or a couple of hours during your visit to the city. Whether you want to explore the grounds or enjoy the exhibitions in the gallery, there’s always something exciting to see.

Quingo Scooters The Queen's Gallery 2

What’s On

The history of both the country and the Royal family is presented through ever-changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection. Here are a few things to enjoy:

  • Shadows of War (4 August-26 November): This is the first exhibition to focus exclusively on Roger Fenton’s pioneering photographs of the Crimean War, taken in 1855. Fenton focused on creating moving portraits of the troops and images of the stark, empty battlefields, showing the impact of war to the public for the first time and creating the genre of war photography through subtle and poetic interpretations of battle.
  • Exclusive Evening Tour, Palace of Holyroodhouse (2 December 2017-2 January 2018): This special Christmas tour of The Queen’s official residence in Scotland highlights the Palace’s dramatic past and its important role in the present. An expert will escort you to rooms not usually open to the public. Your ticket will also include a glass of champagne, a copy of the official guidebook and 20% discount in the shops. There is limited availability.
  • Recitals for Wrigglers (22 October): A family recital in the unique setting of the Great Gallery. The whole family can enjoy the classical music and popular nursery rhymes amongst iconic portraits of Scottish royalty.

Entry Times and Prices

The Queen’s Gallery is open daily all year, excluding 25-26 December. The opening times are seasonal: April-October 9.30am-6pm (last admission at 5pm) and November-March 9.30am-4.30pm (last admission 3.30pm). Ticket prices vary and can be found here.

Quingo Scooters The Queen's Gallery 3

Getting There   

Located on the Royal Mile, the Queen’s Gallery is accessible by all major transport links. If you’re travelling by train, the exhibition is 15 minutes away from Edinburgh Waverly. The 6 and the 35 buses stop near the gallery and there is a public car park adjacent to The Gallery. There are several blue badge parking spaces available on Horse Wynd, just outside the Palace. Open-top bus tours stop nearby and coach parking is provided free of charge. More information on finding the exhibition can be found here.

Accessibility

The attraction is accessible by automatic doors at ground level, with lifts to the gallery. The Gallery and shop have polished wooden floors, with a stone floor in the lobby. All circulation and gallery spaces are fully accessible and have respite seating available in The Gallery, café and Mews Courtyard. Accessible toilets are also available throughout.  You can view or download The Queen’s Gallery’s full accessibility information here.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme, which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this, or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up-to-date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up-to-date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Attractions: BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art

This week, Quingo Scooters are heading to Gateshead as part of our Accessible Attractions series. Pushing the boundaries of creativity, the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is the biggest gallery of its kind in the UK!

Situated on the scenic south bank of the River Tyne, next to the Millennium Bridge, the BALTIC offers a diverse range of visual arts, restaurants, and events. With their ever-changing calendar of activities and exhibitions, you’re always in for a unique and exciting day out!

Quingo Scooters BALTIC 2

What’s On

The BALTIC aims to present a varied, dynamic and international schedule of contemporary visual art, to give a compelling insight into contemporary artistic practice. Offering new exhibitions three times a year, attractions include:

  • Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2017 (29 September- 26 November 2017): Since 1949, New Contemporaries has organised a touring exhibition for graduates from UK art schools. It’s nationally and internationally recognised as a barometer for excellence, and will be making its BALTIC debut this year.
  • Blake in Gateshead (permanent): The BALTIC’s only permanent art work has a powerful light beam at its centre which, when lit, reaches two thousand metres into the sky. According to its artist, the piece was designed to add to Newcastle’s list of famous bridges: “to build a bridge, a bridge of light in Gateshead”.
  • Baltic Live Antoine Hunter: Where Our Roots are Planted (13 October 2017). San Francisco’s award-winning dancer Antoine Hunter visits this region for the first time, and is joined by 20 participants for a group live performance. Both American and British Sign Language will feature within the creative process.
  • Six Restaurant (permanent): Situated on the top floor of the BALTIC, Six is home to a rooftop restaurant, showcasing local food. Accessible by glass lifts, offering scenic views of the River Tyne, the fine dining restaurant sits within a glass box, suspended between the four towers of the building. Six offers unrivalled panoramic views of the Newcastle skyline that are sure to delight all visitors.

Opening Times and Entry

The Baltic is open every day from 10am to 6pm, except Tuesdays when it’s open 10.30am to 6pm. Entry into the centre is free. It is closed on 25, 26 December and 1 January. On 24 and 31 December BALTIC closes at 5pm.

Quingo Scooters BALTIC 3

Getting There

The centre is located on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne, close to both Newcastle and Gateshead city centre. It is close to Newcastle Central Station as well as Gateshead bus exchange.

Visitors travelling by car will find parking spaces available at the BALTIC car park, with free parking for blue badge holders.

There are local bus and metro routes available to transport visitors, as well as a coach drop off point next to the centre.

Accessibility

The centre has two entrances. While one is below street level and accessible via a ramp, there is a second entrance on street level on South Shore Road. There is level access throughout the centre, as well as lifts to all floors. Accessible toilets can be found on all floors, except Level 5.

You can view or download BALTIC’s full accessibility information here.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme, which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this, or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up-to-date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up-to-date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Attractions: Apollo Victoria Theatre

Quingo Scooters are bringing you yet another great British attraction in England’s capital this week as part of our Accessible Attractions series. This one is for theatre fans…

QUINGO SCOOTERS ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE 2
Editorial credit: Zabotnova Inna / Shutterstock.com

The Apollo Victoria Theatre

The Apollo Victoria Theatre is a West End theatre within the Westminster district of London. The theatre opened in 1930 as a cinema and variety theatre; it then became a venue for musical theatre beginning with The Sound of Music in 1981, including Starlight Express which ran from 1984 to 2002. The theatre is now the home of the award-winning musical Wicked, which has wowed audiences at the venue for 11 years.

Wicked

First opening on Broadway in 2003, and at The Apollo Victoria Theatre in 2006, Wicked has achieved huge success, and continues to impress critics and audiences. It quickly picked up three Tony Awards and even a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album. The show is adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked, is the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, and how they became known as the most famous witches of Oz.

The music and lyrics were produced by the talented musical theatre legend Stephen Schwartz, his most notable works being Godspell, Pippin, Children of Eden and The Baker’s Wife. Schwartz’ career has spanned across theatre and film, with screen credits including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas and the song ‘When You Believe’ from The Prince of Egypt.

The show features a host of famous musical theatre stars. Idina Menzel, Kerry Ellis, Rachel Tucker, Willemijn Verkaik and Emma Hatton have all donned the black hat of Elphaba. Glinda has been played by stars including Kristin Chenoweth, Megan Hilty, Dianne Pilkington, Annaleigh Ashford and Gina Beck.

Ticket prices and opening times

Wicked is shown Monday through to Saturday at 7.30pm; on Wednesday and Saturday there are additional shows at 2.30pm. The theatre closes on Sundays.

Ticket prices range from £19.50 to £125 depending on the seats that are chosen. Each has an individual booking fee, which can be found on the ‘Booking Fees’ page here.

QUINGO SCOOTERS ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE 3

Getting there

The Apollo Victoria Theatre is located very close to Victoria Station in the heart of Victoria, London. The theatre is close to other well-known attractions such as Westminster Cathedral and a large number of shops. The theatre boasts great transport links to central London as well as the surrounding areas.

By tube or rail, the theatre is a short distance from Victoria Station, which has both underground links to the Victoria, District and Circle lines as well as National Rail links to the South East.

By bus, visitors can take the bus from Victoria Station to and from local London areas, there are several bus services, which can be found here.

By car, visitors can access various meters on the roads surrounding the theatre, located on Allington Street, Bressenden Place and Carlisle Place. The standard tariff is usually £2 per hour, however due to the business, prices may differ and the area can become crowded. Alternatively, London Victoria car park is 6 minutes away from the theatre and is priced at £22 for the day.

For more information regarding travelling to the theatre, click here.

Accessibility

The accessible entrance to the theatre is via a platform lift at the Vauxhall Bridge Road entrance, this provides level access to the accessible toilets and foyer facilities. Before arriving, it is advised to contact the Front of House team to organise operation of the lift and to arrive between 30 and 45 minutes before the performance. The theatre has four accessible spaces, again booking is recommended as there is limited availability. There are limited parking facilities in Victoria and for those with a blue badge. The closest bays to the theatre are Grosvenor Gardens, Carlisle Place and further along Wilton Road. For more information regarding accessibility, click here.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme, which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this, or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up-to-date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up-to-date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Attractions: The British Museum

Quingo Scooters are heading back to the capital this week for another instalment of our Accessible Attractions series. We’re discovering world cultures as well as learning about artefacts from across the globe.

Quingo Scooters British Museum 2

The museum

This week we’re visiting The British Museum in London, founded in 1753, the museum is home to a range of objects from across the world. It showcases a vast collection of artefacts, which tell the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present day. With over 70 galleries there’s something for everyone:

  • Virtual pilgrimage: reimagining India’s Great Shrine of Amaravati (until 8 October) – The Great Shrine of Amaravati was one of the oldest, largest and most important Buddhist monuments in ancient India. Discover the Shrine’s significance and learn about the pilgrims who funded its construction.
  • Desire, love, identity: exploring LGBTQ histories (until 15 October) – the display offers glimpses into LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) histories, experiences and lives from across the globe as the exhibit covers ancient civilisations up until the present day.
  • Living histories: recent acquisitions of works on paper by contemporary Arab artists (until 22 October) – the display highlights recent additions of posters, prints, drawings, photographs and artists’ books to the museum. Many of the artists come from Syria, illustrating the modern history of country in artistic form.
  • The business of prints (21 September 2017 until 28 January 2018) – the exhibitions shows fine examples from Britain’s print collection to look at how prints were created, developed, bought and sold in the period 1400-1850.

Each of the above exhibitions is free of charge to view.

Quingo Scooters British Museum 3

Opening times and entry prices

The museum is open daily from 10am – 5.30pm, the museum is closed on 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January. The museum has free entry for all visitors.

For more information, visit the ‘Admission and Opening Times’ page of the museum’s website here.

Getting there

The museum is located in central London, for visitors travelling by Tube, the nearest underground stations are Tottenham Court Road (500m), Holborn (500m), Russell Square (800m) and Goodge Street (800m). For more information, visit the Transport for London tube maps website here.

By Bus, there are a number of services that run near to the museum stopping on New Oxford Street, northbound on Tottenham Court Road, southbound on Gower Street and Southampton Row. For more information, visit the Transport for London bus routes website here.

By car, visitors should follow directions for Great Russel Street in Central London. The museum is within the Congestion Charge zone; therefore, visitors will be required to pay this charge. There is little on-street parking available, the nearest carpark to the museum is located at Bloomsbury Square. There is a limited amount of disabled parking in the Museum’s forecourt. To make parking arrangements contact the museum.

For more information, visit the ‘Getting Here’ section of the museum’s website here.

Accessibility

The majority of the museum has level access, the Great Russell Street entrance has a lift on either side of the steps, alternatively there is level access at the Montague Place entrance. The majority of the galleries and all special exhibitions are fully accessible for scooter users, there are lifts available to allow access to each of the galleries. There are accessible toilets in the Great Court, the Ford Centre for Young Visitors, the Clore Education Centre and to the north of Room 66.

For more information, visit the ‘Access’ page of the museum’s website here.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme, which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this, or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up-to-date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up-to-date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Attractions: The Scotch Whisky Experience

Here at Quingo Scooters we like to provide you with a range of great UK attractions to visit as part of our Accessible Attractions series – this week we’ve chosen a quirky attraction to teach you all about one of the UK’s most popular spirits. We’re staying in Scotland for another week, to teach you everything you need to know about whisky!

We’re visiting The Scotch Whisky Experience, on a barrel ride through a replica distillery to find out more about the production of whisky. Along the way, you’ll hear the stories behind the craft of whisky making with expert tour guides and whisky advisors.

Quingo Scooters Scotch Whisky Experience 2

The whisky experience

Discover aromas and flavours that appeal to your palate, leading you to find your perfect Single Malt Whisky. The Whisky collection includes 3,384 bottles of Scotch Whisky, and is held within a marble and glass vault. Visitors get the chance to taste a Scotch Whisky.

Claive Vidiz, a whisky enthusiast in Sao Paulo, started to seek and buy Scotch Whisky of each varying type, cost and rarity. Over 35 years he collected almost 3,500 bottles, before selling the collection to Scotch Whisky distiller Diageo. Diageo brought the collection to Scotland where it became the Scotch Whisky Experience.

The Experience offers five tours, ranging from those for first-timers to whisky pros. Four of the five tours are for people aged 18 and over.

  • The Gold Tour – includes a tasting tray of four single malt Scotch whiskies, membership to the Scotch Whisky Appreciation Society and discounts at the bar, restaurant and shop within the membership year; as well as including elements from the Silver Tour. The Gold Tour lasts between 70 and 90 minutes.
  • Morning Masterclass – includes a private viewing of the world’s largest collection of Scotch Whisky, sensory perception test, nosing of new-make spirit and boxed crystal whisky tasting glass, plus much more! The Morning Masterclass lasts 90 minutes.
  • The Platinum Tour – includes a whisky barrel ride through the production of Scotch whisky, guided nosing and tasting of four contrasting single malt whiskies and an extended viewing of the collection of Scotch Whisky. The Platinum Tour lasts 90 minutes.
  • The Taste of Scotland – includes features from the Platinum tour as well as: a three course Scottish food experience menu, dram of Scotch whisky with dessert and a ‘trio’ starter and ‘trio’ main course followed by dessert. This tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
  • The Silver Tour – includes a whisky barrel ride through the production of Scotch Whisky, a dram of Scotch Whisky (Irn Bru for under 18s) and a viewing of the Scotch whisky collection. The tour is available to people aged under 18 and runs for 50 minutes.

Quingo Scooters Scotch Whisky Experience 3

Entry prices and opening times

The Experience is open 7 days a week, 364 days a year. From January to March the experience is open from 10am – 5pm, April to July 10am – 6pm, August (Monday to Friday) 10am – 5pm, August (Saturday and Sunday) 10am – 5:40pm, and September to December 10am – 5pm.

Each tour provided includes a specific price:

  • The Gold Tour – adults £26 and concessions £23.75
  • Morning Masterclass – adults £40
  • The Platinum Tour – adults £36.50
  • The Taste of Scotland – adults £70
  • The Silver Tour – adults £15, concessions £13, children £7.50 and families £37

For more information, visit the website here.

Getting there

The Scotch Whisky Experience is in the Old Town of Edinburgh, beside Edinburgh Castle. The Experience is located just a short distance from the main transport links, central hotels and attractions.

For visitors travelling by train, the nearest railway station is Edinburgh Waverley, from here public transport and/or taxis can be used to get to the Experience.

When travelling by bus, there are no buses that go directly to the Scotch Whisky Experience however there are many stops in the surrounding area. For information regarding bus routes and times, visit the Lothian Buses website.

By car, follow directions for ‘city centre’ and ‘attractions’, the Experience does not have onsite parking, however there is a multi-storey car park on Castle Terrace a short distance from the Experience, which includes 6 blue badge bays. Alternative parking options are available throughout the city.

For more information on travelling to the Whisky Experience, visit the website here.

Accessibility

The Whisky Experience is fully accessible to scooter users, there is a lift to allow visitors access to each level of the Experience as well as multiple disabled toilets. For more information regarding accessibility, visit the website here.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme, which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this, or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up-to-date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up-to-date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.