About Ipswich Shopmobility
Ipswich Shopmobility provides free hand-propelled and electric wheelchairs and electric scooters to help people who have limited mobility, whether through permanent or temporary disablement, illness, accident or age, to shop and use other facilities in the town centre.
Location
The Shopmobility Centre is inside the Buttermarket Shopping Centre on the Lower Ground level.
- By Car: Use the Falcon Street entrance to the Buttermarket Car Park and follow signs to the 5 designated disabled bays.
- By Foot: Enter via St. Stevens Lane or Buttermarket Street entrance and use the lift to reach the Lower Ground level.
Opening hours
- Monday to Saturday: 10am - 4pm
- Closed: Sundays and Bank Holidays
- Booking: Advanced booking is advised. Call 01473 222225 (Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5pm; Sat, 10am-4pm).
How Shopmobility works
On your first visit to the Shopmobility Centre you will be asked to produce two forms of identification: one with a photo of yourself and the other showing your name and address, e.g. utility bill, TV licence, to enable the completion of a simple membership form for insurance purposes. Once you have been issued with a membership card, you will need to present it each time you visit in order to obtain equipment.
Full training will be given by one of the Shopmobility Team to you and any companions how the wheelchair or scooter works and when you are confident that you can handle it - away you go!
At the end of your visit you need to return the chair or scooter back to Shopmobility yourself. If you have parked in one of the accessible bays, we can validate your parking for up to 2 hours. Please note we can only validate parking if you have used Shopmobility equipment.
Unfortunately we do not provide overnight hire of the equipment.
Booking information
Equipment can be booked for up to 4 hours in any one day.
Your equipment will have been prepared and sanitised for you and left outside Shopmobility for your collection.
It is essential customers return within the time agreed, if for some reason you think you will return late, you should make the Shopmobility team aware as soon as possible.
Ipswich Shopmobility does not open in times of bad weather. Customers will be contacted if we need to cancel bookings, please make sure you always have a mobile telephone with you, and it is turned on, so that we can contact you whilst using the equipment if we need to.
Donations
There is no charge for using Shopmobility equipment, but the scheme does need all the help it can get to meet running and repair costs, so donations are always welcome. You can donate three ways:
In person at Shopmobility
On-line using the link www.ipswich.gov.uk/shopmobility-donation
Or by using the QR code:
Parking
There are 11 accessible parking spaces on lower ground adjacent to Shopmobility with a further 5 bays in the basement level. As a Shopmobility member, you don’t need to have a blue badge to park in one of the accessible bays, just let us know where you have parked when you collect the equipment.
When using Shopmobility equipment you are entitled to two hours free parking. Upon return of the equipment, you will be given a unique code to enter into the payment machine, alongside your car registration number (so have that handy) that will validate your parking and take off the cost of 2 hours. You will then need to pay the difference if you have stayed longer.
You can also reserve a bay when booking and we will save one of the bays on Lower Ground for you.
Contact details
Ipswich Borough Council
Corn Exchange
King Street
Ipswich
IP1 1DH
Email:
shopmobility@ipswich.gov.uk
Phone: 01473 222225 to make a booking
FAQs
Can I book more than once a week?
Yes, up to two slots per week, but you can also just pop in and see if the equipment is available
What if I am running late?
Please contact Shopmobility as soon as possible to let the team know that you are running late and the time you will return.
Does Shopmobility offer long-term hire?
Sadly no, we are unable to provide overnight or longer-term equipment hire. But do please call to discuss, we may be able to advise other alternatives.
Volunteers
Ipswich Shopmobility often needs volunteers.
Find out more by downloading our flyer.
Volunteering is a great way to develop your potential, gain work experience and boost your CV while making a big difference to lives of mobility-impaired people.
For more information, visit the Volunteer with Ipswich Shopmobility page.
RADAR keys
The RADAR National Key Scheme (NKS) provides special keys to access locked disabled toilets across the UK.
You can purchase RADAR keys:
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Online
Click the button below to buy online for collection at Shopmobility. Please note that the button opens in a new window.
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In Person
Buy with cash at Shopmobility. Please bring the exact amount, as we cannot provide change.