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Home / Members / Accessibility

Is your business accessible?

Is your business disabled friendly? Do you offer large print menus? Can you accommodate guide dogs? Does your attraction offer hearing loops?

Introduced in October 2004 the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) states that tourism service providers are required to take 'reasonable' measures to anticipate the needs of disabled people. In this section, we'll look at what your responsibilities are as a tourism business, answer some common questions and provide some useful disability awareness contact details. Click the links below to find out more.

• Why make your facilities more accessible?
• Some questions answered
• Are you an accommodation provider? 
• Are you a tourist attraction?
• Are you a restaurant, bar, pub or club? 
• Are you a shop?
• Useful contacts

Why make your facilities more accessible?

• There are about 9 million disabled people in the UK
• Disabled people have £50 billion a year to spend on good and services
• In England alone, 2.7 million disabled people regularly travel
• Around 14% of Europeans have some form of disability
• Disabled people usually travel with friends, family or carers, which brings in additional revenue
• Disabled people frequently book in advance, often returning on a regular basis once they find the right facilities
• Over 55s take more holidays in the UK, often travel out of season and are most likely to benefit from increased accessibility.

Some questions answered

What are the physical features that need addressing?
They can be anything from steps and stairways, exterior surfaces and paving, entrances and exits, internal and external doors, toilet and washing facilities, public facilities such as telephones, counters or service desks, lighting and ventilation, lifts and escalators.

What does the Disability Discrimination Act mean by 'reasonable adjustments'?
There is no definitive answer to this one. The term is used to give some flexibility and allow different solutions in different situations.

What is an access audit?
These will highlight where the real barriers are. Tourism South East can carry out these audits for you, including possible funding up to £200. Click here to find out more.

Will compliance be costly to my business?
Not necessarily. Increased accessibility may mean simple, low-cost alterations, such as providing telephones with large buttons or ensuring there is at least one menu in large print.

What should I do next?
See the separate section on this page applicable to your business type. For a list of disability organisations, useful telephone numbers, websites and where to go for help with access audits, refer to the useful contacts section.

Are you an accommodation provider?
Tourism South East’s new booklets 'Creating Accessible Tourism' shows how accommodation providers  can create an accessible environment for visitors with visual, hearing and mobility impairments. Funding may also be available. Click here to find out about subsidised access audits.

Alternatively, VisitBritain manage a National Accessible Scheme (NAS). This is an easy to understand accessibility rating system for all types of accommodation providers and is easily recognised and used by disabled visitors. Click here to find out more.

Are you a tourist attraction?
Tourism South East’s new booklets 'Creating Accessible Tourism' shows how attractions  can create an accessible environment for visitors with visual, hearing and mobility impairments. Funding may also be available. Click here to find out about subsidised access audits.

Are you a restaurant, bar, pub or club?
Ask yourself questions such as:

• What can I do to make things easier for disabled customers?
• Can I re-arrange seating and tables to enable better wheelchair access?
• Where can I get menus turned into different formats?
• Do I need grab rails for the toilets?

Refer to the useful contacts section below for more information.

Are you a shop?
Crucial things to conside are:

• Is the counter too high?
• Can I offer assistance to select items off a shelf and carry to the cash desk?
• Does my shop offer hearing loops?

Refer to the useful contacts section below for more information.

Useful contacts and resources

Destination Access Audit - This report details the access audit carried out in Brighton city centre. The report enables Brighton & Hove City Council to plan access improvements into their development plans and enables city tourism businesses to plan and invest in accessible facilities with greater confidence.

Brighton & Hove Federation of Disabled People - Local organisation working to promote independence and dignity for people with disabilities.

Disability Rights Commission - Provides general help and advice on disability related matters.

National Register of Access Consultants - A register of accredited Access Auditors and Access Consultants.

Royal National Institute for the Blind  - National UK charity providing a wide range of information related to blind or partially sighted people.

Royal National Institute for the Deaf   - National UK charity representing the 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.

Tourism South East - Provides information on Creating Accessible Tourism, as well as funding details for access audits.