walking . is . overrated

The folks in Ponsonby Road’s Starbucks know me quite well these days. Not because I’m buying oodles of their sugar-laden cocktails, but because I’m a regular consumer of their fantastic disabled bathroom. Why would I go to Starbucks just to use their bathroom, you ask? Well, it’s because I love Cezanne, which is directly across the road. Only problem is, the place itself is about as accessible as soft sandy beaches.

Bless them, they are still hanging on to the title of ‘2nd Best Cafe in Auckland, 2002′, but why they lost that prestigious title is beyond me. Their cakes are fantastic (Jelly-Tip cheesecake, anyone?), they serve Roasted Addiqtion coffee, and their lunch/dinner menu is extensive and affordable. They are even open late most nights, just in case you have coffee and cake cravings at 11pm, like I do with increasing frequency these days!

However. Their only toilet is behind the counter, through the kitchen, and into god-knows-where. To be fair, I haven’t been brave enough to venture through the kitchen into the land beyond as of yet, but I’m willing to bet it ain’t got as much as a handrail. It’s a pity really, because it tarnishes what is otherwise a fantastic central Auckland cafe. Ah well, looks like I’ll be seeing you Ponsonby Starbucks folks for a while to come..

THE LOWDOWN

• Great coffee, great food
• Open late
• No stairs
• Counter was at a good height, easily reachable EFTPOS terminal, etc.
• Not much manoeuvring space, the first few times I went I wasn’t able to get to the counter because the tables and chairs were all crammed together!
• No disabled toilet
• Overall Accessibility rating: 2 / 5