Whether you’re looking for a quiet pint or a night at the pub with live music and karaoke, there is a great range of wheelchair-friendly pubs across England that everyone can enjoy. From gastro pubs with gourmet, Sunday roasts to historic venues that have been updated to meet varied access needs, we’ve rounded up information on England’s best wheelchair-accessible pubs and beer gardens to make it easier than ever to find a great place to go. We’ve also noted the nearest train stations where possible so that you can get a feel for those which are easiest to reach without a car or a taxi ride.
Let’s take a look at the top pubs and beer gardens to visit in the North East, North West, South East and South West of England.
The best wheelchair-friendly pubs in the North
The Coach House Inn, Chester
38 Turner Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1DZ
Situated in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, The Abel Haywood is part pub, part boutique hotel. The venue offers a lift and disabled toilet to tick off the basics for visitors using wheelchairs and gets rave reviews for its array of locally-brewed and world beers, gins, cocktails and sumptuous breakfast brunches.
The Abel Haywood is conveniently located just a 10-minute stroll from Manchester Piccadilly station. Two of the venue’s three entrances provide level access from the pavement, with one also featuring an extra-wide door.
The Coach House Inn, Chester
39 Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 2HQ
This historic venue has been revamped for the modern world with level access via the main doors, an accessible toilet and plenty of space for motorised mobility scooters to move around the venue as well as wheelchairs.
Previously awarded such accolades as Best Pub/Bar in Chester and Best Restaurant in Chester, The Coach House Inn serves seasonal, locally-sourced produce alongside a plentiful array of cask ales, wines and soft drinks. You can reach this pub around 15 minutes’ walk from Chester railway station.
The Wheatsheaf, Wetheral
The Wheatsheaf Inn, Steele’s Bank, Wetheral, Carlisle, CA4 8HD
Handily located a five-minute walk from Wetheral station, just outside Carlisle, The Wheatsheaf is a friendly local pub that boasts affordable food and drinks, a spacious accessible beer garden and plenty of opportunities to catch sporting events on the pub’s TVs.
As well as a disabled toilet and level access to the bar area and outside seating from the rear, The Wheatsheaf also has its own car park to make visiting easier if you aren’t coming by train. Hosting quizzes and darts nights, this pub in England’s scenic North West is both child and dog-friendly, so that the whole family can enjoy the trip.
Crows Nest, Newcastle
137 Percy Street, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 7RY
Situated less than 20 minutes’ walk from Newcastle Central station, Crows Nest is a Greene King pub with ramped access available via the front doors, sloped access to the disabled toilet and staff who are regularly trained in disability and equality awareness.
This family-friendly pub serves food as well as drinks and does have outside seating for sunny days. It also offers both BT sports and Sky sports if you’re hoping to catch a match.
The Yard, Newcastle
2 Scotswood Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7JB
Newcastle’s longest-running LGBT+ revenue, The Yard is less than 10 minutes’ walk from Newcastle Central station and offers warm welcomes and plenty of entertainment. Though the upstairs club area, Oscars, is not accessible, you can catch drag acts and DJs at ground level in The Yard itself if you time your visit well. Not just a great place to visit in the North East, The Yard has previously been shortlisted for Best LGBTQ+ Venue in the UK at the Great British Pub Awards. Not bad!
The Yard’s main entrance is step-free and the venue provides an accessible toilet for the sole use of disabled patrons.
The best wheelchair-friendly pubs in the South
The Royal Oak, Swallowcliffe
The Royal Oak, Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire, SP3 5PA
Swallowcliffe’s Royal Oak is a completely wheelchair-friendly pub with a spacious disabled toilet and step-free interior, which blends 18th century architecture with modern interior design. Offering seasonal, locally-grown produce on an ever-changing menu, this countryside pub is an idyllic spot for lunch and dinner, with Sunday roasts a popular pick.
Samuel Jones Smoke & Ale House
37 Commercial Road, Exeter, EX2 4AE
A leisurely 20-minute stroll from Exeter Station, the Samuel Jones Smoke & Ale House is a large pub and restaurant that comes highly rated for its friendly and welcoming staff, and it’s high culinary standards.
There’s street-level access to the pub via the main entrance and wide ramped access from the riverside entrance. While parts of the interior are stepped, you can reach the bar and disabled toilet step-free and the facilities leave enough space for a carer alongside wheelchair turning if needed. Table service is available, as the bar does not feature a lowered section.
The White Horse, Brancaster
The White Horse, Main Road, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk, PE31 8BY
If you’re looking for a meal with a view, Brancaster’s The White Horse will not disappoint. Situated on the picturesque Norfolk coastline in the East of England, The White Horse looks out over sandy beaches and marshy coastline and offers some of the freshest seafood going.
As well as accommodating guide dogs, The White Horse is fully accessible from the bar and restaurant area right through to the paved outdoor dining terrace. Enter via the front doors for step-free access, as the rear entrance/exit does have steps.
The Wharf, Dartford
Cotton Lake, Galleon Boulevard, Dartford, Kent DA2 6QE
Ticking plenty of boxes with disabled parking spaces, wide doors, step-free access and roomy accessible toilet facilities, The Wharf in Dartford is also a local favourite, famed for its fresh and sustainable ingredients and an extensive range of beers and ciders. Drink and dine along the scenic waterside at this gourmet venue, which can be accessed in around a 15-minute stroll from Stone Crossing station.
Some areas of the interior are stepped, however, there is plenty of seating inside and out that can be enjoyed by visitors in wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
The North Laine Brewhouse, Brighton
27 Gloucester Place, Brighton, BN1 4AA
The journey from Brighton station to North Laine Brewhouse is around a 7-minute amble, and on arrival, you’ll find priority seating spaces for visitors with disabilities as well as the usual accessible toilet facilities and step-free navigation around the venue.
As well as an extensive menu of wings, burgers and other haute junk food, North Laine Brewhouse serves substantial Sunday roast dinners – including vegan and vegetarian options, and 50% off child-size portions.
While this list brings you a decent array of the best wheelchair-accessible pubs in England, we know there will be many more that are worth a mention! If you know of a great accessible venue that you think deserves a mention, feel free to let us know.