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.

The Shopmobility Centre is located inside the Buttermarket Shopping Centre, on the Lower Ground level. When arriving by car use the Falcon Street entrance to the Buttermarket Car Park and follow it round to our 5 designated coned disabled bays. When arriving by foot enter the building via the ground level, where the shops are, via St stevens lane entrance or Buttermarket street entrance and use the lift to get to us on the Lower Ground level.

How to book

Shopmobility is open from 10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday. It does not open on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

The service is available for walk-up customers but advanced booking is advised  - please call 01473 222225 between 8.30am – 5pm, Monday to Friday and 10am – 4pm, Saturday.

Equipment can be booked for up to 4 hours in any one day and all bookings are made to start at 10 - minute intervals, so that we can stagger customer arrival and departure times.

On arrival, please confirm your membership details by showing your membership card, so we can verify the booking. If you are looking to become a member, you will need to show us something with your name and address, such as a driving license, utility bill or bank statement. Full training on the equipment will be given to all new members.

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 so we can prepare equipment for the next customer.

Ipswich Shopmobility does not open in times of bad weather. Customers will be contacted if we need to cancel bookings, please make sure you 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.

FAQs

Can I book more than once a week?

You will be able to book up to two slots per week.

What happens if am running late?

Please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check the diary for other bookings.

Does Shopmobility do 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. 

How Shopmobility works

On your first visit to the Shopmobility Centre you will be asked to produce some identification showing your name and address, to enable the completion of a simple registration card 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.

A member of the Shopmobility staff or volunteer team will show 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 and if you have parked in one of the Shopmobility bays, we can validate your parking for up to 2 hours. Please note we only lend equipment on a daily basis and are not able to provide equipment for overnight hire.

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.

Parking

There are 5 designated parking spaces reserved for Shopmobility users in the Buttermarket car park adjacent to the Shopmobility Centre. If these bays are full there are other disabled bays throughout the carpark that can also be used when a Blue Badge is displayed. When using Shopmobility equipment you are entitled to two hours free parking. Upon return of the equipment you will be given a unique one time 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. If you need a cone moving from one of our 5 designated bays prior to parking please request this upon booking. 

Volunteers

Ipswich Shopmobility often needs volunteers. 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.

Visit the Volunteer with Ipswich Shopmobility page for more information.

RADAR keys for access to disabled facilities

The RADAR National Key Scheme (NKS) provides special keys to access locked disabled toilets across the UK.

RADAR keys are available to purchase online for collection at shopmobility. You can also purchase with cash by visiting shopmobility. They cost £3.50, and we are unable to provide change so please bring along the correct amount.