| Disability Discrimination Act details concerning Hotels in | | | | by reasonable adjustments. |
| the UK. The Disability Discrimination Act part three has | | | | In some cases an audit can recommend your building |
| now been law since October 2004. The Disability | | | | is not required to comply with the act in areas such as |
| Rights Commission (DRC) are receiving up to 500.000 | | | | the high costs involved or building restrictions. We can |
| calls of potential discrimination per year. It is the job of | | | | assist you with compliance to the law by other |
| Access All Areas to ensure your business is not the | | | | reasonable cost effective means. Listed buildings are |
| reason for one of those calls. We appreciate that | | | | not exempt from the laws of the DDA. |
| hotels often have dificulty complying to the act, | | | | The DRC suggests that businesses that are seen to |
| however, we do have the solutions to your problems. | | | | address their issues of access through a DDA audit |
| Why act now over disabled access? | | | | should be seen as attempting to meet those needs. |
| The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 introduced a raft | | | | Ignoring those needs could have a reverse effect. |
| of new legislation aimed at ending the discrimination | | | | Mind your own business. |
| that many disabled people face in accessing your | | | | Disability Discrimination laws now protects those with |
| goods and services. Some service providers view the | | | | vision and hearing impairments, learning difficulties, |
| DDA as simply imposing extra costs and legal | | | | speech impediments etc etc. In short your duties under |
| obligations. If you’re nodding in agreement, | | | | the DDA includes all disabilities from wheelchair users |
| please ask yourself whether you have looked properly | | | | to asthma suffers. Understanding and meeting all of |
| at the business case for making your goods and | | | | these needs is a very specialised area. Most cases of |
| services more accessible as well as your legal | | | | discrimination are against businesses that have not |
| obligations. | | | | addressed their access issues by means of an audit |
| The Business Case. | | | | inspection. |
| It's important not to lose sight of the fact that the DDA | | | | Being able to produce a accessibility report of your |
| is focused on increasing disabled access and safer | | | | services shows your intention to comply, even if you |
| egress to all services and facilities. Approximately 10 | | | | are currently unable to meet those requirements |
| million people in the UK are classed as disabled under | | | | (showing you are taking the act seriously) The |
| the DDA, that’s a sixth of the UK’s | | | | Disability Rights Commission (DRC) will take this into |
| population. Some disabilities are more common in the | | | | account should a case of discrimination be brought |
| older age groups, with almost 70% of disabled adults | | | | against your company or hotel. |
| aged over 60. Nearly 75% of the Nation’s | | | | In short, please do not wait for a disabled person to |
| wealth is held by the over 50s who have an estimated | | | | have to force you to address your access issues |
| annual income of £184bn. | | | | under the DDA. A phone call to us to discuse your |
| By having an accessibility audit carried out on your | | | | obligations will cost you pence, a discrimination case |
| premises we can add access issues into a long term | | | | against you could cost you a great deal more. |
| feasibility study as well as assist you with compliance | | | | |