Shopmobility

You can reserve an item of equipment by telephoning, e-mailing or popping into the Shopmobility showroom in the Circa Centre during our opening hours.  Service users are required to complete a registration form. 

Advance booking is always recommended, especially at busy holiday periods. We cannot guarantee the availability of any item of equipment until it has been reserved.

Don’t worry, full instructions will be given when you arrive to pick up your reserved equipment.  

We understand that navigating public spaces such as shops and cafes can be daunting, and many individuals find it helpful to have a friend or relative accompany them for physical assistance or moral support. However, not everyone has access to such support, which is where the new 'Shopmobility Buddies' scheme comes in. 

Circa can provide a trained volunteer 'Buddy' to accompany you, offering companionship and assistance as needed. The role of the 'Buddy' is designed to be supportive and reassuring, rather than functioning as an attendant.

Advance booking is essential if you require a Buddy to accompany you, so that we can match you with one of our volunteer Buddies.    Simply request a Buddy when you contact Circa to reserve an item of equipment.  

Single Day Use of Shopmobility equipment is free of charge to Manx Residents with mobility issues. The equipment must be collected and returned within 24 hours, during our normal opening hours (10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday). 

However, should you wish to use a piece of equipment for longer than one day a small daily charge will apply.  Click here for details of the charges.

Payment can be by cash or credit/debit card, and must be made when the equipment is collected.

Visitors to the Island can also use the Shopmobility equipment, subject to availability. 

A daily charge will apply to all use of Shopmobility equipment by visitors.

Payment can be by cash or credit/debit card, and must be made when the equipment is collected. 

The Shopmobility service is mainly intended to enable those struggling with their mobility to access the shops and amenities in Douglas town centre.

However, the equipment can be used throughout the Island. We just ask that you respect the limitations of the equipment you are using – our wheelchairs and mobility scooters are not designed for off-road use.

Mobility scooters are permitted in most of the larger shops in Douglas. 

Our Shopmobility service is mainly intended to enable those struggling with their mobility to access shops and amenities in the town centre. However, we are happy to assist those with a longer term need to use our equipment for up to one month. Click here for details of the charges.

We are not long term providers of wheelchairs or other mobility equipment.           

Long term loans of wheelchairs and other mobility equipment are available free of charge from the Dept. of Health & Social Care following referral.  Please speak to your GP or the Independent Living Centre or see the Disability Networks website for more information. 

There is no minimum age for the use of our manual wheelchairs and other manual equipment. 

However, users of our powered equipment, i.e. mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs, are required to be 16 years of age in accordance with the requirements specified in our Insurance policy.

The Shopmobility Registration Form must be completed and signed by a responsible adult over the age of 18, who can be either the service user or their representative. 

You do not need a driving licence. Instruction on how to use our powered equipment is provided to everyone using the Shopmobility service

Our smaller scooters are Class 2 scooters with a maximum speed of 4mph, which are for use on pavements and footpaths but are not permitted to travel on the road.

We also have a number of larger Class 3 scooters, which are classed as ‘road scooters’. However, we ask that these are not taken on the roads in accordance with the advice from our insurers. These scooters have a maximum possible speed of 8mph, but please note that the maximum permitted speed in public areas is 4mph. 

We have a number of ‘Travel Scooters’ which can be dismantled to be transported in the boot of a car.

Please check with Isle of Man Transport for current accessibility information, either on their website or by calling them on 662525 

No. All equipment must be collected from and returned to the Circa Centre in Douglas by the Service User. Please see details of the Centre opening hours on our Contact Us page.

For electric scooters and powered wheelchairs BOTH the Service User and the Equipment User (if different) MUST collect the equipment to enable instruction on the safe use of the equipment to be given. 

If you have a hospital appointment in the UK, with travel arranged via the Manx Care Patient Transfer Service, we can provide a Shopmobility rollator or manual wheelchair (subject to availability) free of charge.

You will need to collect the equipment during our normal opening hours the day prior to your outward travel, and return it during our normal opening hours the day after you return to the Island following your appointment. 

Unfortunately we are unable to make powered equipment available for appointments where travel is by air.

We suggest a donation of £15 to cover additional insurance costs for off-island use. 

This is at the discretion of the Circa Centre Manager and depends on individual circumstances and the availability of equipment at the time.    

Please note that our electric mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs must not be taken by air.

Daily charges will apply. Click here for details.  In addition there will be a £15 charge to cover additional insurance costs for off-island use. 

No. Our equipment is available for short-term use only.   

RADAR keys can be purchased from the CIRCA showroom at a cost of £3.50 each.