Accessibility in NewcastleGateshead

NewcastleGateshead is widely accessible to everyone from wheelchair users and people with mobility scooters to those with pushchairs or mobility issues, hearing or visual impairment or additional accessibility requirements. Whether you're visiting for the day or planning a weekend away, you're guaranteed to have a great time and we promise you'll receive a world-famous Geordie welcome.

If you’re looking for accessible accommodation in NewcastleGateshead, you can feel reassured that there are a number of great places to stay which will cater for your needs. Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, and Leonardo Newcastle Gateshead all participate in the National Accessible Scheme (NAS); the only scheme that rates the accessibility of visitor accommodation throughout England.

The Hilton Newcastle Gateshead also offer twelve accessible rooms, made up of nine Standard and three Executive Guest Rooms. All accessible rooms have vibrating pillows and disabled guests can tailor a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. All of the facilities at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead are access friendly and include accessible parking bays, lifts and a hoist for the swimming pool.

NewcastleGateshead has a great public transport system which quickly connect Newcastle International Airport, the city centre, Gateshead town centre and the coast. Our transport partners are committed to making travel as easy as possible for you.

You can find out more about travelling on the Metro website where you can also download your copy of the Metro Access Guide.

Go North East and QuayLink bus services provide 100% easy access on their main services through low floor and ramp access and an easy access wheelchair guarantee. Find out more information about accessibility, using concessionary passes, taking pushchairs and buggies onto the bus and much more by visiting the Go North East website and searching "easy access."

If you need to book a taxi, Noda Taxis and Blue Line Taxis both provide a range of taxis to accommodate all access needs including vehicles with wheelchair ramps. It is advisable to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

There is a taxi rank at the entrance to Newcastle Central Station to ease your arrival or onward travel. Visitors travelling to and from NewcastleGateshead can benefit from LNER's assisted travel services. There are also some helpful FAQs about Assisted Travel with LNER which will answer a lot of your questions before you book.

For more information, head to our guide on Getting Around Newcastle for further information.

Knowing where to park in advance, can really make a difference to your visit to NewcastleGateshead and your enjoyment! DisabledGo Newcastle can provide access information for car parks in Newcastle city centre. If you're visiting Newcastle, you can plan ahead with this A-Z of Blue Badge parking spaces. Gateshead Council also provide clear information about where to park with your Blue Badge in Gateshead.

Take away the stress of uncertainty when you visit NewcastleGateshead with a quick glance at which venues participate in the Use our Loos Scheme.

You can find information on public toilets for the wider North East and the rest of Great Britain on the Great British Public Toilet Map website.

Changing Places toilets are larger accessible toilets with equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and space for carers. You can search for a Changing Places toilet near you here.

AccessAble provides access information for over 500 venues across Newcastle city centre by surveying places such as museums, restaurants, bars and visitor attractions. 

Search their access guides to find out about the place you want to visit to help you prepare. The guides include photos and lots of details about the venue and service.

You can find out if the venue:

• is easy to enter
• has accessible toilets or changing places
• is wheelchair friendly
• has steps at the entrance or inside
• uses a hearing loop
• has a lift
• has parking on site or nearby
• provides access to closed captions or audio description or BSL is available

Visit AccessAble to search all of the venues in Newcastle and Northumberland that have been assessed for their accessibility to prepare for your next trip.

For information and ideas on attractions and days out in NewcastleGateshead, visit our section on Things to Do. Many of the cultural venues in NewcastleGateshead such as Life Science Centre hold the Equality Standard Gold Award and provide excellent accessibility for a wide range of requirements as well as hosting fully inclusive events and tailored programming.

• Sage Gateshead has extensive accessibility facilities which include level access throughout and monitored light levels to assist those with visual impairment.
• BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is fully accessible and offers walking stick stools, mobility scooters, large print information and subtitles on selected BALTIC films.
• Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children's Books offer monthly Early Bird Openings for visitors with an autistic spectrum condition, Sensory Story times and relaxed performances.
• Tyneside Cinema is recognised as a Dementia Friendly Cinema offering monthly, daytime film screenings for people with dementia and their families and carers.
• Theatre Royal, Newcastle is committed to making their programme as accessible to deaf, blind and partially sighted audiences as well as hosting regular assisted and relaxed performances for audiences with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, learning disability or sensory and communication disorders.

Euan's Guide is a national review website which aims to remove uncertainty about the accessibility of hundreds of venues across the UK. Plan ahead and find valuable recommendations and practical reviews of many NewcastleGateshead venues on the website.

NewcastleGateshead is a shoppers’ paradise. Our two main shopping centres - Metrocentre and Eldon Square benefit from good disabled access throughout including main entrances accessed from street level, wheelchair accessible lifts and a full Shopmobility scheme which runs throughout Eldon Square and Newcastle city centre and at Metrocentre.

Eldon Square has a number of wheelchairs available to hire free of charge from the Customer Services Desk and the centre is fitted with induction loops. Assistance dogs are also very welcome.

Metrocentre offers electric scooters, wheelchairs and assisted changing facilities. Wheelchair hire is free of charge and scooter hire for non-members is just £4.00. Families in need of a pushchair can also hire one for free from the Customer Services Desks. There is a Changing Places facility with track hoist, shower and Lima lift toilet located on the Upper Red Mall near Debenhams.

Both Eldon Square and Metrocentre are committed to supporting people with autism spectrum conditions, sensory or additional needs who may find accessing a busy shopping centre daunting. Shoppers who require additional support can download resources including an Autism Friendly Visual Guide and Autism Friendly Detailed Guide from the respective websites.