Accessibility

At York’s Chocolate Story we strive to provide a warm welcome and a safe, memorable experience for all of our guests. If you have any accessibility requirements, please review the information below and do not hesitate to contact us on 01904 527765 or via our contact us page if you have any questions.

Some answers to frequently asked questions about accessibility at York’s Chocolate Story can be found below.

Getting Here

Please see our ‘How to Find Us’ page for a map and information on how to get here and available parking in the area. 

Disabled badge holders can park on the yellow lines on Goodramgate or Colliergate for a maximum of 3 hours at any time of day. If you require more than 3 hours of parking the nearest car park is on Bootham Row, you can park here for free with no time limit.

Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters

Guests in wheelchairs are able to access all areas of York’s Chocolate Story that are used for the Guided Tour. A lift is used to access these floors and there is an accessible toilet available. Other offerings including but not limited to school workshops, private events (masterclasses, birthday parties and venue hire) and seasonal tours are hosted in our on site function room, the Skipper Suite, which is only accessible via a flight of stairs.

Due to Health and Safety and Fire Evacuation procedures, we can permit a maximum of 2 wheelchairs per floor. If there are 2 wheelchair users, then at least one has to be ambulant, otherwise we are only permitted 1 wheelchair per floor. This equates to one wheelchair every 45 minutes for guests on our Guided Tour. If you require wheelchair access, please speak to our Reservations Team prior to placing a booking. For those with accessibility requirements we recommend booking in advance, as without an advance booking guests may need to wait a considerable time to start a Guided Tour. 

Prams and Pushchairs

Children under 4 are welcome free of charge, however at busy periods, prams and pushchairs may not be permitted on the tour.

Reduced Mobility 

Guests should be aware that there are a number of steps within the experience, these are used for descending only but should you or your party not be able to manage stairs please alert your guide and you may use the lift.

The majority of guests will stand throughout the tour however there are a number of chairs in each room which are available for those guests who need them. Guests are advised to make the tour guide aware at the start of the tour of any issues with standing.

Additional Scripts

A printed script is available for guests with hearing difficulties so please ask a member of the team and they will provide you with this before you start the tour.

We also have a small number of translated scripts for those who do not have English as their first language.  Please ask a member of staff on arrival.

Carers

One free Carer ticket can be provided for each booking that has a paying disabled visitor which can be issued online and at our admissions desk. Carers must provide proof of entitlement upon arrival. We currently accept the following; Carers card, Carers Allowance Letter of Award , Disability Living Allowance Letter (DLA), or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) . 

Assistance Dogs

Dogs are not permitted into York’s Chocolate Story, with the exception of all registered guide dogs, hearing dogs and medical assistance dogs. If you wish to visit with an assistance dog please arrange it with us in advance of your visit. Please note that chocolate is harmful to dogs, so we kindly ask that you ensure your dog is kept safe and away from any chocolate products.

Facilities 

Toilets, including accessible toilets are available in our retail area.

Dietary Requirements 

Guests who have allergies and intolerances are warned that the chocolate products which we make in the attraction are produced in an environment where nuts may be present. Nut free, dairy free and gluten free chocolate is available on request, just ask your guide for details. Equally if you are following a specific diet e.g. Halal please let your guide know.

Lighting 

Whilst we do not have flashing lights at our attraction, we do have a photo opportunity during the tour which contains a flash. If you would like to skip this please let a member of the team know.

We also have a cinema room which has slightly low-level lighting.

Any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on 01904 527765 or via our contact us page if you have any questions.