British Film Institute on Southbank

The British Film Institue (BFI) (http://www.bfi.org.uk/) is located on the South Bank, near Waterloo station.  It is a destination for serious film lovers.  It houses one of the world's most in-depth film archives, and has world class learning resources.  We visited a learning room where people can watch old movies for free on private tvs (we watched the 1979 film "The Knowledge" starring Nigel Hawthorne, Mick Ford, and Kim Taylforth). But it's not all highbrow. The IMAX also is part of the BFI, and shows mainstream movies like "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" on London's biggest screen (located nearby to the main BFI facility).

The BFI is quite disabled friendly, but the lifts we used were the platform lifts rather than the typical built-in lifts, so we're not sure if the building was wheelchair accessible when originally built. It's probably best to enter through the front entrance rather than the rear, since the lift at the front did not require operator assistance. Still, all of the areas we looked at were wheelchair accessible, and the (helpful) staff informed us that the theatres also have wheelchair seating (we will confirm).  There is also an accessible lounge/bar area that looked quite nice for a pre-movie film drink or nibble (and the IMAX also has a cafe and bar). Sadly, the only thing missing was the smell of fresh popcorn.

South Bank itself is incredibly accessible, and is a destination spot for culture vultures, with the Tate Modern, Hayward Gallery, Royal Festival Hall, National Theatre, Old Vic and the BFI all located within easy walking (or wheeling) distance.

Details:

Transportation: Waterloo train station/tube station or buses 1, 4, 26, 68, 76, 77, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 211, 243, 341, 507, 521, or RV1. Apparently there is also underground parking at the Hayward Gallery.

Wheelchair Travel UK

For those times when using public transportation or black cabs is not practical (e.g. when travelling in a large group, or if you have a lot of luggage, etc.) you may need to hire an accessible car service or rent a van or minibus. We used Wheelchair Travel UK to pick us up from Heathrow (it also rents vans for hire). It was expensive, but well worth it. Our driver met us at the arrivals in Terminal 5.  He took us directly to the van (a late model Renault) which was parked very close by -- less than a minute away.  The driver was a kind man who did his utmost to make us all as comfortable as possible. We had an enjoyable journey through London, and we arrived at our destination in South London on time and relaxed.


Details:
http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1483 233 640 or +44 (0)1483 237 668

Black Cabs

All of London's iconic black cabs are wheelchair accessible.  The newer cabs have built in ramps that easily pull out of the floor and extend onto the curb, and the older cabs have ramps in the boot (or trunk).  I imagine that all manual wheelchair users, and most power chair users, can fit in the cabs (we do, even with Chazz's large power chair).  There is not a ton of headroom for power chair users, but as long as you do not have a long journey this should not be too much of an issue.

London cab drivers know where they're going, and it's almost a point of honour that they do not have to ask passengers for directions.  This is due in part because they must pass an exam called "the Knowledge" for which it apparently takes between 2-4 years to prepare (cabbies are tested on 320 routes, and there are about 25,000 streets in central London).  

One cannot overstate what a benefit it is to be able to use any black cab, and how much peace of mind comes from knowing that you will never be stranded.  Why other cities don't adopt similar taxi systems is a mystery to me.