Blogs

A recent blog on the World Travel Market suggested there were three stages for the accessibility market.  Let’s call them the “Three principles of O”.  They stand for:

In my last blog I posed this question.  But before answering it I need to explain what an accessibility statement is.  This is what VisitEngland say on their website:“An Access statement is a description of a business’s facilities and services to inform people with access needs.

This is not a joke about changing light bulbs in hospitals but a serious question for all hotels, managers and staff, conference venues and organisers.  The answer is one.  If an event organiser has one wheelchair user or potential wheelchair user in their audience then they need to find a location where they are used to looking after wheelchair users.By this I don’t mean taking them in a back door, using grubby service lifts, and generally making the person feel second class.  I mean having the facilities and great customer service that hotels, venues and organisers strive to achieve with

As you read this blog I want you to look at two other people in the office, home or wherever you are.  The statistics show that one of you (one in three) will have a disability in your lifetime.  Another fact is that there are 17 million people in the UK (25% of the population) that either have a disability or are a carer.  In the world 18.5% of the population has a disability.

I find these figures staggering when the service provided to disabled people is usually well below the customer service level provided to non-disabled people.  The big question is why?

In the first of my blogs I posed two questions.  I have already answered the first one.  The second was do you always complete a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) about fire emergencies for every disabled guest that stays with or visits you?  If you are not then you are failing to comply with the fire regulations.  These are detailed in the booklet called – Fire Safety Risk Assessment, means of escape for disabled people.  It costs a couple of pounds and is well worth the investment.