Surgery boss Helen Hobson has spent the past year living with the brain condition chiari malformation – leaving her relying on either a wheelchair, a walking stick or friends to get about.
The 53-year-old has found navigating Barnard Castle’s shops and streets a struggle due to broken paving, few handrails and A-boards outside shops.
“When you park on the cobbles it’s just a nightmare,” said Mrs Hobson.
“I am sensitive to inclines – I cannot go down The Bank now because they took the rail out near St Mary’s Church.
“It means I rarely shop in Barnard Castle now.”
The mother-of-two said disabled parking bays at the bottom of Morrisons car park made it nigh on impossible for a wheelchair user to get up the slope alone.
Negotiating steps, kerbs and street furniture also made crossing roads difficult.
She added: “I have got quite poor balance.
“My confidence is low so I don’t come down into town on my own any more – it’s not safe.
“Barnard Castle is a beautiful place but this, in particular, is a problem.
“I am slow and some people are lovely but others knock my stick out of the way – people just do not see it.
“If you get an A-board, a dog and a person you are goosed.”
Mrs Hobson works full time managing Bewick Crescent Surgery, in Newton Aycliffe.
She revealed how her condition and resulting operations had brought about a big change in her perspective of the urban environment.
“It’s the little things – if people could put a rail on one side that can really help, as can smooth repairs to pavements,” she added.
“I just think it’s a lack of awareness – before I had balance issues I had no idea how much of a difference it makes.”
Mrs Hobson alerted town councillor Richard Child to her access problems and he joined her on a tour of some trickier spots.
“These are things I have never noticed,” said Cllr Child.
“As Helen says, things an able bodied person are absolutely unaware of can make life difficult for someone with a disability.
“When you get out of the car there are lips on the cobbles you just do not notice.”
Anne Henderson, from Teesdale Disability Access Forum, said funding for dropped kerbs from Durham County Council had dried up over the years.
She added: “When Teesdale District Council merged in Durham County Council the money ceased to exist.
“With Helen, it’s been quite dangerous for her – sometimes people park in front of the dropped kerbs.
“We are willing to help and fight for people – if people needed a disability car we used to work with the county council but now they do not have the funding.”
Jenny Haworth, Durham County Council head of planning and performance, said: “We place a lot of value on accessibility for local residents and visitors and in support of this, we commissioned independent organisation, DisabledGo, to develop an online access guide to local services.
“This covers more than 90 facilities in Barnard Castle including popular venues like The Witham and The Bowes Museum, and various shops.
“As an ancient market town, the streetscape of Barnard Castle dates from long before disabled access was a consideration and major changes to it cannot be made without significant impact on the historic environment.
“However, we are very happy to look at any issues people raise with us and can pursue appropriate measures which can be accommodated from within our budgets.”
Mrs Hobson explained how businesses in the town also had a role to play in improving life for disabled dale folk.
She added: “If a shop has got a seat it really helps – it is lovely if you are not feeling particularly steady just to sit down.”
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