Pubs are for everyone Why being accessible is important.

A message from Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson DBE Introduction

Having just witnessed yet another successful Paralympics, there is no better time to champion accessibility, and no better place to do so than in the home of hospitality – the Great British pub.

I am delighted to introduce the 2016 British Beer and Pub Association accessibility guidance, which presents best practice for pubs and highlights the easy adjustments that can be made to improve accessibility. Such adjustments are often simple and inexpensive, yet they make a significant difference to those with access needs. Accessibility is not simply about physical access to the pub, but rather it is about creating the best experience for all who visit and encouraging visitors to return. Staff training is therefore key and should act as the foundation for an accessible venue. Excellent customer service can go a long way.

In addition, people with health conditions - and their companions - spend £12bn annually on tourism in England. Pubs, therefore, have an opportunity to enter this market through engaging proactively with accessibility. Tourists also view pubs as a uniquely British institution and the time has come to ensure that pubs can be enjoyed by all who visit.

This guidance is a positive step in promoting access for all. Let’s embrace the legacy of the Paralympics and ensure that equality and accessibility remain key themes for the future.

Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson DBE

Accessible pubs guide 1 Pubs and Why be Accessibility accessible?

As a quintessentially British Pubs will already have many • In 2015, nearly one in five institution, pubs are the customers with access needs, tourism day trips in England home of hospitality and even if it is not immediately were taken by people with an continue to play a vital obvious. impairment and their travelling role in local communities companions, spending £8.5 up and down the country. Attracting the business of billion. Renowned for exceptional someone with access needs customer service, it will come also attracts the spend of their • In 2015, 18% of all overnight as no surprise that pubs are entire party and this can open trips by British residents in increasingly working hard to up a significant opportunity for England were taken by those improve accessibility pubs. It is important to ensure with an impairment and their for customers. that parties with accessible travelling companions, worth needs feel comfortable at every £3.2 billion. Although most pubs are small stage. Accessibility does not businesses and can be restricted end with physical access to the • Over half a million people with in adapting historic or listed pub. It is about creating the best a health condition buildings, an ever increasing experience for everyone who or impairment visit England number of licensees and pub visits. This guidance will outline from abroad each year, companies are ensuring that pubs many easy options for pubs in spending around £0.3 billion. are accessible through innovative order to meet these requirements. and creative adjustments. (Statistics provided by Whether it’s a quiet drink with The economic case VisitEngland- https://www. friends, a three course meal, an visitengland.org/access) evening of live music or a local A majority of those who require quiz night, these adjustments accessible services and features Further research conducted by are ensuring that the much loved are disabled, but this extends VisitBritain illustrates that visitors British pub can be enjoyed by all. beyond gaining entrance to an with access needs are more likely establishment, with only one in to take longer trips and tend to be eight using a wheelchair. Many very loyal. more have other visual, hearing or mobility impairments. In fact, one A full overview of accessible in six people in the UK have an market can be found on the ‘activity limiting health problem’ VisitEngland/VisitBritain website: or disability and this equates The Purple Pound to a significant market that businesses are able to tap into with improved accessibility.

People with health conditions – and their companions – spend £12bn a year on tourism in England.

2 Equality and Discrimination

The Equality Act 2010 Reasonable adjustments can consolidates previous include providing a particular anti-discrimination laws piece of equipment or making into a single Act and structural modifications to legally protects people aide an individual, as well from discrimination in the as incorporating changes to workplace and wider society. policies and practices to assist those with a disability. Those Those with a disability are providing a service should also protected from discrimination consider taking reasonable steps under the Act. Discrimination can to determine whether someone be direct or indirect and includes is disabled, for example asking if harassment and victimisation. anyone in a party has Within the remit of the Act, access needs. disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has You can find further guidance on a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ the Equality Act at https://www. negative effect on your ability to gov.uk/guidance/equality-act- do normal daily activities. 2010-guidance

Beyond protection from disability discrimination, the Act ensures that employers are obligated to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to avoid putting those with a disability at a disadvantage in the workplace. What is reasonable will depend on circumstance, and cost is taken into consideration. Adjustments, therefore, will not incur an unreasonable cost and will take into account any further practical limitations, such as the age or design of a building.

Accessible pubs guide 3 Top tips for the pub sector

• Name an access champion or • Try to make physical entry to ensure that a colleague takes your venue as easy as possible. responsibility for developing Use ramps to ensure that access. Use the Champion Brief access to the pub is level and at www.visitengland.org/access think about contacting the local council to request a • Train all customer facing staff dropped curb in disability awareness and ensure they know how • Think about purchasing to use accessible facilities, specific equipment to services and equipment assist those with access needs, available for example hearing loops and large print menus • Speak with disabled visitors and local access groups • Signpost different areas of your to understand access needs venue as clearly as possible, in and respond to feedback particular disabled toilets accordingly. Consider getting an audit of current access Several of our Top Tips have been facilities from an access advisor informed by England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group. • Produce an Accessiblity Guide using the free tool from VisitEngland and VisitScotland. Ensure you link to your guide clearly from your website and it is marketed effectively

• Consider the layout of your establishment to account for access needs, especially in any future refurbishments. Move furniture where appropriate to allow for easy access to the bar or toilets

4 Staff Training is key

With pubs as the home of Tourism for All has created an British hospitality, staff e-learning tool designed to training is central to provide training in welcoming ensuring access for all. disabled customers both by A warm welcome from distance or self-learning, or knowledgeable and well through on-the-job or guided trained staff goes a long training courses. Please visit way and should form the www.tourismforall.org.uk/ foundation of any access Training.html for full information. adjustments. National disability organisation Whilst physical adjustments DisabledGo have developed can be costly, staff training is a practical disability equality easily implemented with little course in partnership with Visit cost input. Whether it is reading England. The course covers topics menus aloud or simply providing such as appropriate language a welcoming smile, staff should and how to provide assistance. have the confidence to meet the It is all about helping businesses needs of disabled customers. provide the best customer service. Visit www.disabledgo.com/ Training in accessibility is an tourismtraining. invaluable way to ensure that staff are able to effectively respond to the needs of each and every customer.

“A warm welcome from knowledgeable and well trained staff goes a long way and should form the foundation of any access adjustments.”

Accessible pubs guide 5 Six key features for an accessible pub:

1. Access ramp at door (removable) ‘A removable ramp is an effective way to make physical entry as easy as possible and could be shared with other retail outlets nearby’

2. Hearing loops on bar ‘Providing hearing loops at the bar ensures a greatly improved experience for those with hearing needs’

3. Large print menus ‘Providing large print menus will make the ordering of food and drink easier for many’

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Accessible toilet with disability sign 4. on door ‘An accessible toilet is a welcome addition to any pub and will be a key factor in attracting those with accessibility requirements’

Staff – ensuring that staff are 5. trained to meets the needs of disabled customers ‘It is vital that staff have the confidence to meet the needs of disabled customers and are able to use access-related equipment’

Layout – make sure the path to the bar/toilet 6. is clear of obstacles and easy to navigate ‘An easy adjustment is to think about the layout – are the routes to the bar and toilet easy to navigate? Try to remove any obstructions’

Accessible pubs guide 7 Accessibility Guides and Database

People with access needs Publishing an Accessibility will require information on Guide can act as a marketing a pub’s accessibility to help opportunity to broaden the appeal understand if it will meet of your pub. Producing a guide their individual needs as a will help you to appraise your potential customer. venue’s accessibility, an area where you have legal obligations Many are put off visiting a pub under the Equality Act 2010. if there is no access information Furthermore, a guide can also be on their website and may choose used by staff as a handy reference to go elsewhere. Writing an document when dealing with Accessibility Guide (formerly an enquiries. A full guide on writing Access Statement) is therefore an this important document can easy way to attract customers. be found on the BBPA website – www.beerandpub.com/access An Accessibility Guide is a thorough yet concise description From the end of 2016, you will be of a venue’s facilities and able to produce and publish an services, specifically in relation Accessibility Guide using a new to individuals with accessibility website provided by VisitEngland requirements. This means not and VisitScotland, accessed via just wheelchair users but people www.visitengland.org/access with hearing loss, visual or mental impairment, visitors with pushchairs, older people and more. The guides enable these people, their family and friends to make informed decisions as to where to stay and/or visit in view of their requirements.

“Employers are obligated to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to avoid putting those with a disability at a disadvantage in the workplace”

8 DisabledGo.com is an industry Find out if DisabledGo.com specialist in this area, providing has already published an access guides for venues Access Guide to your venue? throughout the UK, and with a database of over 125,000 ‘places DisabledGo publishes over 3000 to go’. Each access guide is access guides to pubs in the UK. created from a survey completed These have been largely funded by a DisabledGo trained assessor. by Local Authorities. Please visit The survey collects objective and www.disabledgo.com and search quantitative information, overlaid for the Pub name and location with detailed descriptions and in the search bar. Once you have photos and provides the essential discovered your DisabledGo.com information to give disabled access guide, this can then be people the knowledge about used on the Pub’s own website. the facilities and access of a Please contact enquiries@ pub. The access guide can then disabledgo.com for more be integrated into your own information. website, and is published on the DisabledGo database and partner websites. Please contact DisabledGo if you are interested in acquiring an access guide.

“People with health conditions – and their companions – spend £12bn a year on tourism in England.”

Accessible pubs guide 9 Case studies The Cleveland Bay Hotel, Redcar – Enterprise Inns

The Cleveland Bay Hotel repaired, something that previous is situated close to the landlords had not been able coastline in Redcar, North to achieve. Yet aside from the East England. It is the physical adjustments, Russ winner of the 2015 Enterprise and Sarah have gone above Community Heroes Award for and beyond for those with the North East. access needs by allowing for the premises to be used as a The licensees, Russ and Sarah, regular meeting place for Redcar have transformed the venue from education and development - closure to a hub for community helping people with mental and activity and are leading the way physical disabilities integrate when it comes to access needs. and enjoy normal everyday life. Considerable investment has Darts, pool and line dancing are been made to ensure that the pub all activities provided on a regular caters for the elderly and those basis for those with a disability. with access needs. Ramps, steel The tenants have also received hand rails and an increase in assistance from Enterprise Inns external lighting are just three of to ensure that customers have a the adjustments that have been dedicated disabled toilet. made. They also fought to get the pavement and curb edging

The Pilot – Fullers

The Pilot pub and hotel is during the last refurbishment. On located in Greenwich, close top of this, Eduardo ensures that to the O2 arena with views two easy access parking spaces of Canary Wharf from the are always available in the car accommodation. park and an accessible toilet is available. The Pilot ensures that The top tip given by the licensee, its website clearly states these Eduardo, on accessibility is to accessible facilities, with an keep adjustments in mind when option to take a 360 degree tour refurbishing your pub. This is of the venue, so that potential exactly what Eduardo did when customers can make an informed he created step free access to the decision. main bar area and dining room

10 Case study Changing Faces

Changing Faces began its • Make eye contact. Look your work nearly 25 years ago customer in the eye (or at the supporting people who have bridge of their nose if that feels a distinctive appearance find more comfortable – it has the a way to live the lives they same effect). Don’t go to the want. other extreme and stare - just make normal eye contact They want to see a world as you would with any in which anyone with a other customer. disfigurement can go into a pub with their friends and be accepted • Be respectful. You might on equal terms. So what does have to manage your response good service mean for customers – it’s natural to feel surprise with a disfigurement? Changing when someone looks noticeably Faces has provided some useful different. Never draw attention tips to cater for these customers: to your customer’s appearance. If they mention it, listen to • If in doubt, ask a simple and what they say and use open question like, ‘Can I help similar language. you?’ There are many medical conditions that may affect • Remain calm. Don’t panic if a person’s appearance. Some you get it wrong. For example, customers may need a straw if a customer’s condition affects to be able to enjoy their drink. their speech, politely ask them Certain medical conditions to repeat if you don’t may affect their balance, understand. You could also the way they hold a drink apologise and say you really or the way they walk, but want to get their order right, that doesn’t necessarily mean so would it be ok to write it they are intoxicated. Don’t down. Remember, they will be make assumptions about your used to having to persevere to customer’s condition. Ask open be understood. questions instead.

“I have Facial Palsy and it’s usually a nightmare ordering drinks across a crowded bar. But a group of us, all with Facial Palsy, met up recently at a pub in Manchester city centre. We’ve met there on several occasions and the bar staff are fabulous. They don’t look at us quizzically or stare - all the usual reactions. They smile and engage with us, making us feel so welcome, and there’s not a hint of awkwardness about our appearance. Full marks to them!!!”

SHERRY

Accessible pubs guide 11 For further information please visit –

Providing Access for All, Tourism for all, the UK voice for Please contact us including the Purple Pound accessible tourism - infographic - www.tourismforall.org.uk/ if you would like a www.visitengland.org/access copy of this booklet in Tourism is for everybody, a Disabled Go, detailed access Tourism for all sponsored large print/plaintext. guides and database for venues movement of individuals, with access facilities - businesses and policy-makers www.disabledgo.com/search- acting together to improve the places-to-go experience for disabled tourists and travellers in the UK - www.tourismisforeverybody. org/

“Accessibility does not end with physical access to the pub. It is about creating the best experience for everyone who visits.”

12 Getting the order right is made easier for customer and staff alike British Beer & Pub Association Ground Floor Brewers’ Hall Aldermanbury Square London EC2V 7HR

T: 020 7627 9191 F: 020 7627 9123 E: [email protected] www.beerandpub.com

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