Blind man presses case against Bass

Bass is to face a charge of breaching the Disability Discrimination Act after one of its pub managers ordered a registered blind person and his dog to leave.

Derek Hitchin is pursuing a claim that he was verbally abused and told to leave the Coach House pub in Preston last year. The case is due to be heard at Preston County Court in April.

Bass, which has a policy of welcoming guide dogs, is to argue that the dog was misbehaving and had jumped up at a customer and a member of staff.

The Royal National Institute for the Blind, which is supporting Hitchin's case, has warned restaurants and pubs to review their policies on allowing dogs on the premises.

In October the Disability Discrimination Act is to be beefed up, requiring the service industry to change discriminatory policies to accommodate the disabled.

Under the new law, restaurants or pubs refusing service to disabled people on the basis that they are accompanied by their dogs could find themselves in court and faced with a fine of up to £20,000.

"The issue with guide dogs has been a grey area but it won't be after October," said RNIB legal officer Catherine Casserley.

The RNIB claims that for every case where legal action is taken there are many others that are resolved amicably.

In November, after a seven-month battle, Forte agreed to an out-of-court settlement of £500 to a couple in their sixties. A member of staff at the Castle Heritage Hotel in Windsor had told them they could not bring their guide dog into the breakfast room.

by Christina Golding