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Botanic Gardens

University of Leicester, Glebe Road, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 2LD

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Access Guide

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Introduction

  • Services / facilities within the grounds include various different planted floral gardens, greenhouses and a sunken garden, plus an arboretum.

Opening Times (April - October)

  • Monday 10:00 - 17:00.
  • Tuesday 10:00 - 17:00.
  • Wednesday 10:00 - 17:00.
  • Thursday 10:00 - 17:00.
  • Friday 10:00 - 17:00.
  • Saturday 10:00 - 17:00.
  • Sunday 10:00 - 17:00.

Opening Times (November - March)

  • Monday 10:00 - 16:00.
  • Tuesday 10:00 - 16:00.
  • Wednesday 10:00 - 16:00.
  • Thursday 10:00 - 16:00.
  • Friday 10:00 - 16:00.
  • Saturday Closed.
  • Sunday Closed.
  • Comments View
    • The garden is closed on 25th December, 26th December and 1st January.

Getting Here

Useful Information

Building Parking

  • The building does not have its own dedicated parking.

Outside Access (Main Entrance)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located off Glebe Road.
    • There is ramped/sloped access at this entrance.
    • There are no doors at this entrance.
    • The width of the door opening is 350cm (11ft 6in).
  • Second Set of Doors View
    • There is a second set of doors.
    • The door(s) open(s) towards you (pull).
    • The door(s) is / are double (with one leaf locked).
    • The door(s) is / are permanently held open.
    • The width of the door opening is 113cm (3ft 8in).
  • Ramp/Slope View
    • There is a ramp/slope at this entrance.
    • The ramp/slope is located leading to the entrance.
    • The ramp/slope gradient is easy.
    • The ramp is permanent.
  • Comments View
    • The second set of doors is actually a gate, located to the left after you pass through the first entrance.

Paths Through the Garden

  • The paths are mainly tarmac, with some compacted gravel and some flagstone surface paths.
  • There are also some unsurfaced areas of the garden.
  • The paths have an easy gradient although some in the arboretum area of south east corner can be steep and dragging (photographs 5 and 6).
  • Photograph 8 show the sunken garden in the north west corner of the garden.
  • The sunken area can only be accessed by 3 medium steps with no handrails.

Level Change (To The Side of Beaumont House)

  • There is a ramp/slope to access this area/service.
  • The ramp/slope does bypass the step(s).
  • The ramp/slope is located in the north east corner of the garden.
  • The ramp/slope is permanent.
  • The ramp does have handrails.
  • The handrails are on both sides.
  • There is a/are step(s) to access this area/service.
  • The step(s) is/are located next to the ramp.
  • There is/are 4 step(s) to the area/service.
  • There is not tactile paving at the top and bottom of the steps.
  • The step(s) is/are not clearly marked.
  • The step(s) is/are medium height (11cm - 17cm).
  • There is not a/are not handrail(s) at the step(s).
  • Comments View
    • The ramp or steps here are used to continue on the path around the very north east corner of the garden, and also the exit by Beaumont House.

Entrance (Alpine House)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located just off the path leading around the side of The Knoll, in the centre of the garden.
    • There is stepped access at this entrance.
    • The main door(s) open(s) away from you (push).
    • The door(s) is / are single.
    • The door(s) is / are permanently held open.
    • The width of the door opening is 75cm (2ft 6in).
  • Step(s) View
    • There is a/are step(s) at this entrance.
    • The step(s) is / are located in front of the entrance.
    • There is / are 1 step(s) to access the entrance.
    • The step(s) is / are not clearly marked.
    • The step(s) is / are deep.
    • The steps do not have handrails.
  • Comments View
    • There are a further 2 sets of medium steps inside this greenhouse (photograph 3).
    • There is a similar door to exit the greenhouse, with 2 steps (shown in photograph 4).

Entrance (Desert House)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located on the far north side of the garden.
    • There is stepped access at this entrance.
    • The main door(s) open(s) away from you (push).
    • The door(s) is / are single.
    • The door(s) is / are permanently held open.
    • The width of the door opening is 99cm (3ft 3in).
  • Step(s) View
    • There is a/are step(s) at this entrance.
    • The step(s) is / are located in front of the entrance.
    • There is / are 2 step(s) to access the entrance.
    • The step(s) is / are not clearly marked.
    • The step(s) is / are medium.
    • The steps do not have handrails.

Entrance (Mediterranean House)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located on the eastern side of the garden, by Hastings House.
    • There is ramped/sloped access at this entrance.
    • The main door(s) open(s) towards you (pull).
    • The door(s) is / are single.
    • The door(s) is / are light.
    • The width of the door opening is 96cm (3ft 2in).
    • There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance, with a height of 2cm or below.
  • Ramp/Slope View
    • There is a ramp/slope at this entrance.
    • The ramp/slope is located in front of the entrance.
    • The ramp/slope gradient is easy.
    • The ramp or slope is permanent.

Opening Times (Greenhouses)

  • Monday 10:00 - 15:30.
  • Tuesday 10:00 - 15:30.
  • Wednesday 10:00 - 15:30.
  • Thursday 10:00 - 15:30.
  • Friday 10:00 - 15:00.
  • Saturday 10:00 - 15:30.
  • Sunday Closed.

Entrance (Classrooms)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located at the rear of Hastings House, towards the south east corner of the garden.
    • There is stepped access at this entrance.
    • The main door(s) open(s) away from you (push).
    • The door(s) is / are single.
    • The door(s) is / are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 90cm (2ft 11in).
  • Step(s) View
    • There is a/are step(s) at this entrance.
    • The step(s) is / are located in front of the entrance.
    • There is / are 1 step(s) to access the entrance.
    • The step(s) is / are not clearly marked.
    • The step(s) is / are deep.
    • The steps do not have handrails.
  • Comments View
    • There are two classrooms here, a seminar room (photographs 1 and 2) and a lab (photographs 3 and 4). The entrances are the same to both.
    • Access from the main path around the garden to these entrances is via a gate, 86cm wide and permanently held open, and a shallow step (shown in photograph 5).
    • The courtyard area between this gate and the rooms has a cobbled surface (photograph 6).

Outside Access (Exit)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located off Glebe Road opposite the second gate at the main entrance.
    • There is ramped/sloped access at this entrance.
    • The main door(s) open(s) towards you (pull).
    • The door(s) is / are single.
    • The door(s) is / are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 113cm (3ft 8in).
  • Ramp/Slope View
    • There is a ramp/slope at this entrance.
    • The ramp/slope is located leading to and beyond the exit.
    • The ramp/slope gradient is easy.
    • The ramp is permanent.
  • Comments View
    • After this gate, turn left and exit the first entrance back onto Glebe Road (shown in photograph 5).
    • The handle to open this gate is located in a box on the gate (shown in photograph 3).
    • The opening to this box is 80cm - 94cm high, so may not be accessible to all.
    • There is an exit located in the north east corner of the garden by Beaumont Hall (shown in photograph 6).
    • Visitors are also welcome to exit the garden via the main entrance.

Accessible Toilet

  • There are accessible toilet facilities within this venue.
  • Location and Access View
    • The toilet is not for the sole use of disabled people.
    • There is pictorial signage on or near the toilet door.
    • This accessible toilet is approximately 150m (164yd 2in) from the main entrance.
    • This accessible toilet is located within the toilet block at the rear of The Knoll, in the centre of the garden.
    • There is not level access to this accessible toilet.
  • Features and Dimensions View
    • This is a unisex toilet.
    • A key is not required for the accessible toilet.
    • The door opens outwards.
    • The door is locked by a twist lock.
    • The width of the accessible toilet door is 86cm (2ft 10in).
    • The door is light.
    • The dimensions of the accessible toilet are 152cm x 203cm (4ft 12in x 6ft 8in).
    • There is not a clear 150cm x 150cm manoeuvring space in the accessible toilet.
    • There is a lateral transfer space.
    • As you face the toilet pan the transfer space is on the left.
    • The lateral transfer space is 82cm (2ft 8in).
    • There is a dropdown rail on the transfer side.
    • There is a flush on the transfer side.
    • The tap type is sensor.
    • There is not a mixer tap.
    • There is not an emergency pull cord alarm in the cubicle.
    • Disposal facilities are available in the cubicle.
    • There is not a/are not coat hook(s).
  • Position of Fixtures View
    • Wall-mounted grab rails are available.
    • As you face the toilet the wall-mounted grab rails are on both sides.
    • There is not a shelf within the accessible toilet.
    • There is a mirror.
    • Mirrors are not placed at a lower level or at an angle for ease of use.
    • The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 48cm (1ft 7in).
    • There is a hand dryer.
    • The hand dryer cannot be reached from seated on the toilet.
    • The hand dryer is placed higher than 100cm (3ft 3in).
    • The height of the hand dryer is 103cm (3ft 5in).
    • There is not a towel dispenser.
    • There is a toilet roll holder.
    • The toilet roll holder can be reached from seated on the toilet.
    • The toilet roll holder is not placed higher than 100cm (3ft 3in).
    • There is a wash basin.
    • The wash basin can be reached from seated on the toilet.
    • The wash basin is not placed higher than 74cm (2ft 5in).
  • Colour Contrast and Lighting View
    • There is a medium colour contrast between the internal door and wall.
    • The contrast between the external door and wall is poor.
    • The contrast between the wall-mounted grab rail(s) and wall is fair.
    • There is a fair colour contrast between the dropdown rail(s) and wall.
    • The toilet seat colour contrast is poor.
    • The contrast between the walls and floor is fair.
    • The lighting levels are bright.
  • Comments View
    • The cubicle also contains a baby change table, which is 89cm high when extended.

Standard Toilet(s)

  • There are male and female toilets located in the toilet block in the centre of the garden.
  • There are shared toilets located next to the classrooms by Hastings House, towards the south east of the garden.
  • Standard Toilet Surveyed View
    • A male standard toilet was surveyed.
    • The toilet surveyed is located in the toilet block.
    • There is a female standard toilet in the same location.
    • The standard toilet surveyed is approximately 150m from the main entrance.
    • There is not a/are not cubicle(s) suitable for ambulant disabled people in the standard toilet(s) surveyed.
    • Lighting levels in the standard toilet surveyed are good.
  • Comments View
    • The shared toilets are accessed by 2 medium steps only (shown in photograph 4).

Level Change (Access To The Toilet Block)

  • There is a ramp/slope to access this area/service.
  • The ramp/slope does bypass the step(s).
  • The ramp/slope is located leading around the block to the toilets.
  • The ramp/slope is permanent.
  • The width of the ramp/slope is 119cm (3ft 11in).
  • There is a/are step(s) to access this area/service.
  • The step(s) is/are located leading off the main path through the garden to the block.
  • There is/are 4 step(s) to the area/service.
  • There is not tactile paving at the top and bottom of the steps.
  • The step(s) is/are not clearly marked.
  • The step(s) is/are deep (18cm+).
  • There is not a/are not handrail(s) at the step(s).