Recently, when my friends and I were traveling in Fall River, we stopped for a bite to eat at Spring Primavera Restaurant, only to be disappointed that this restaurant is not very wheelchair accessible. This restaurant is located right on the town line of Fall River, MA and Tiverton, RI.

There is only off street parking with no handicap parking spaces to be found near the restaurant; the threshold slope leading to the entry door is kind of steep; the entry doors are not automatic, so my friends had to open and hold the doors open for me to enter.

As soon as we walked into the restaurant, a very nice employee came to assist us. We were seated in a dining room at a metal table that was of a perfect height for my manual wheelchair. If I had been in my power chair, I would not have been able to fit at this table for it is a larger chair.

The waitress placed only two menus on the table; yet there were three of us. I asked her if I could also have a menu so she immediately brought one to me. I thought to myself – WOW – she obviously doesn’t recognize me as a person who can read.

I saw this restaurant has a bar that I would not be able to access due to it being too high.

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The main restrooms are not wheelchair accessible; the door is way too narrow for my wheelchair to fit through. I asked the waitress if there was another restroom that had wider doors. She led me through the banquet room, to what she considered to be a wheelchair accessible restroom.

My wheelchair barely made it through the doorway of this restroom. Then I discovered it is not accessible because my chair couldn’t make the tight turn at the sharp corner to access this restroom.

My friend, Tony went into see if it would be accessible to others with smaller chairs. Tony reports there is no handicap stall; the small stalls could not accommodate any size wheelchair; there are no safety grab bars; a very low toilet; non accessible sink; the pipes underneath are not covered.

Our food was good and the service was ok. After I asked for a menu, it seemed that the waitress was more respectful and sensitive to me. Hopefully, all will learn to be more respectful and sensitive to all disabled.

I give Spring Primavera Restaurant in Fall River ONE STAR for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the other Four Stars they would need to place a handicap parking space in front of the restaurant; lessen the threshold slope leading to the entry door; install automatic entry doors; place some higher tables in the dining room that are accessible to all sized wheelchairs; and renovate the restroom so it is fully wheelchair accessible and ADA compliant.

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