Why ‘wheelchair accessible’ means almost nothing

‘Wheelchair accessible’ is the most misleading phrase in venue marketing. A restaurant can claim it because there’s a ramp to the front door — but the ramp leads to a step, the toilet is upstairs, and the tables are bolted to the floor 50cm apart.

What ‘accessible’ should mean

Real access means you can get in, move around, use the toilet, sit comfortably, and leave safely — without asking for special help, waiting for staff, or compromising your dignity. That’s a high bar, and most venues don’t meet it.

What to check instead

Forget the label. Ask specific questions: What is the door width? Is there a step at the entrance? Where is the accessible toilet and does it have grab rails? Is there turning space between tables? Is there Blue Badge parking within a reasonable distance? Can you get to every area you want to visit without using stairs?

Why Access Stamp exists

We built Access Stamp because generic ‘accessible’ labels don’t work. Our listings show real measurements, real photos, and real assessments — not marketing claims. We label our confidence level so you know whether information comes from a verified audit or a community report.

What you can do

When you visit a venue, document what you find. Take a photo of the entrance, measure the doorway if you can, check the toilet. If you share that with us, we can add it to the listing so the next person doesn’t have to guess.