search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
usual times and during my visit, the wheelchair accessible bus was off along with both the trams and trains! Please check before you visit! Beamish, like most such attractions, has had a very bad year having been shut for most of the summer as far as funds are concerned! This means that they may well only be partly open since they cannot afford to pay the staff to come in and operate the many attractions. During our visit in early September many buildings, such as many of the shops in the town, were not open. There is a saying that it is an ill wind that blows no good! Well in the case of Beamish, this means acres of empty car parks, few queues, and less crowds! On the other side of the coin “Face masks must be worn inside all buildings!” Make sure you have some with you. Many attractions during our visit were not open. This included a favourite of mine, the Second World War farm! Another favourite venue is the drift mine in the pit village, also closed! But hurray, the


St Hilda’s Church


fish and chip shop was open! The only place where we faced any sort of queue. Calamity – The pub was shut! I had to wait until I could visit The Shepherd and Shepherdess just outside the entrance gates! Thank God Ian keeps it open!!! There was to be a new attraction for this season, the 50’s village, but it still seemed to be closed. All walks around the site did appear open; we picked a beautiful day for what was a great open-air experience.


Pit pony in the Pit Village Steam shovel


Since writing this, we have once more gone into complete lockdown! Hardly the PMs fault! No, it is the fault of a small minority of the public who find it impossible to distance etc. Good news! Looks like there is going to be a vaccine available shortly! Bad News, it means that a lot of what I have written here will be completely out of date by the time you


read it. This means that you really must check with the venue before you travel to avoid disappointment and wasting your hard-earned cash.


John Killick was the secretary of the Disabled Motorists Federation for over 20 years and was also the editor of 'The Way Ahead' magazine. He continues to be a freelance writer. He was born in Norfolk and brought up in Suffolk, married a Manx girl, and now lives in north east England.


Ability Needs Magazine 35


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48