Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour — Attraction in London

London Design Week was fantastic but the accessibility in a place that prides itself on being a home of interior design was frankly quite shocking. If arriving via train and you have a wheelchair or pram, you have to circle the entirety of the building to get to ramp access - not very inclusive. Furthermore, at this back entrance there is no check-in desk so you either have to find your way to the centre of the building or the front entrance which you already had to pass to get to the wheelchair access point.

Some of the lifts were also very skinny, making it a tight squeeze for wheelchairs and prams, and most disappointingly of all, almost all of the companies I visited did not include accessibility as a feature of their products. This was even more frustrating when a couple of the companies confirmed they have accessible ranges overseas that have not been approved for the UK yet - the lack of accessible design seems to be, in part, due to companies not wanting the hassle of the approval process.

As well as all of this, seating around the Design Centre is not very suitable for disabled people such as myself who require frequent breaks: the seating is sparse and is very low to the ground. These egg-shaped seats have no backs on them either, which adds to the strain. I found myself wandering into certain furniture shops just to sit down.

A lot of what was showcased was absolutely fantastic but it was let down considerably by the lack of consideration of accessibility. If you're looking for inspiration, it's a great hub for that but just be aware that getting around the building is difficult if you have any accessibility...

I have a mixed review. I came for Design Week 2018 with my little boy Isaac. Some shops were really welcoming and others couldn't get rid of us quick enough. Also in the upper floors with the building work and barriers there were areas where I could get past physically with my pram. Some receptionists were helpful and some weren't. I appreciated the free coffee and be able to go to the private views in the shops. The guy in the cloakroom is really lovely and friendly and a credit to you. The women by the lift are not! And your map is completely unfathomable if you're not a designer. But I would visit again. Just some things for you to bear in mind if you want to really...

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