Disability law could hit restaurants hard
The majority of stand-alone restaurants will be penalised when the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 comes into effect next year unless they become more disabled-friendly, a hospitality expert warned this week.
David Phillips, chief executive of Holiday Care, which provides holiday and travel information for disabled people, said the restaurant sector was lagging behind the hotel industry.
His comments were borne out by a spokesman at Restaurant Services, a free advisory service for eating out in London, who said that of the 7,600 restaurants it listed in the capital, only 2,630 had wheelchair access, with a mere 780 providing wheelchair access to toilets.
"If it isn't reasonable to create access, that's fine," he said. "The restaurant sector needs to think more about the needs of not just physically disabled people but partially sighted people. It's not just about wheelchairs, it's about issues such as guide dogs, for instance."
Nick Scade, chairman of the Restaurant Association and proprietor of the New Mill in Eversley, Hampshire, said there was no excuse for restaurateurs refusing guide dogs, but pointed out that most restaurants were individually owned and small, with only 30-40 seats.
"Making alterations is a pretty expensive hobby," he said. "It's cost rather than a lack of desire to comply. My restaurant is listed in a 500-year-old building - even if I wanted to do it I don't know how I could."
Phillips agreed that many restaurateurs were confused about the new law and were worried that providing access for disabled people meant they would have to reduce the number of tables to make room for wheelchairs.
"Holiday Care hasn't done anything with the restaurant sector either," Phillips admitted. "I would like to work with the Restaurant Association to come up with a programme to create greater awareness."
Scade welcomed the prospect and added that disability was on the agenda for discussion at the RA's quarterly meeting next week. "I don't think restaurateurs know about the new legislation. I hadn't read about it until recently," he admitted.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Since December 1996:
\ It has been unlawful for service providers or employers to treat disabled people less favourably.
\ Reasonable adjustments to make it easier for disabled customers.
Since October 1999: * Service providers have had to take reasonable steps to change policies, procedures or practices in order to provide a service to a person who is disabled; provide auxiliary aids to enable service provision, or provide services by other means.
From 1 October 2004:
\* Where a physical feature makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of services, a service provider will have to take reasonable steps to remove, alter or avoid that feature, or where that is impossible, provide the service by a reasonable alternative method.
Source: Caterer and Hotelkeeper magazine, 6-12th February 2003
