Wheels of
It is a myth that catering for disabled people is a minefield, as a recent conference on disability held at the De Vere Grand Harbour hotel, Southampton, proved.
The conference was attended by 200 people, of whom about 100 were wheelchair users. This created two hurdles for hotel management: physical and attitudinal. Deputy manager Keith Turnbull explains: "The number of guests with mobility difficulties made the conference different to any we have held. We always try to think from a guest's perspective, but this was difficult with wheelchair users."
Turnbull says that every detail was checked with the organisers, right up to the evening before the event. "I went round the facilities with one of the organisers and asked him to point out anything we could improve on," he says.
The homework obviously paid off as delegates were impressed with the hotel's facilities. Arthur Verney, development worker for the European region of Disabled People International and a conference organiser, says: "It is one of the few hotels that has a buzz when you walk in, and this has been carried through to the conference. Nothing has been too much and I do not think anyone has been refused anything," he says.
Dr Stephen Duckworth, chief executive of Disability Matters, agrees. "They have certainly got the staff right, they were not over-patronising and have made life easier for delegates," he comments.
Rachel Hurst, who chaired the conference, found it hard to believe the staff had no awareness training. "They were just too good," she says.
From 1 January 1996, all De Vere employees are being given disability awareness training, according to Chalmers Cursley, managing director of De Vere Hotels.
Staff made extra effort during the three-day conference, however. Tables were placed in reception to make check-in easier as the reception desk was too high for wheelchair users to reach.
The fire brigade was notified before the conference was held and a guest list left with the duty manager. The list showed the number of wheelchair users and other disabled guests staying in the hotel, and their room numbers. In the event of a fire, they would be evacuated first.
The hotel management also had to decide whether it would accept guide dogs. When someone rang to ask if they could bring their dog, a policy allowing this was created. It may now be carried across to all hotels.
"Delegates were asked to make recommendations to us throughout the conference. It was important to create a balance between being patronising and making areas as accessible as possible," says Turnbull.
Waiting staff at the hotel put chairs around some tables and left others empty. They were instructed to let delegates decide for themselves where they wanted to sit, but to be on hand to move tables and chairs if asked.
Turnbull says that the policy throughout was "offer delegates the service; it is fine if they do not want it".
The De Vere Grand Harbour opened in September 1994 with nine accessible rooms for disabled people. The 30 executive rooms at the hotel are accessible to disabled people because of their size and large doors, but are only really suitable for those with a degree of mobility.
Although the hotel does not specifically target this market, disabled people were kept in mind throughout its design. De Vere put together its own specification for the accessible rooms. "From talking to access officers and the experience we have gained over the years, we know enough about it to establish the requirements of disabled people," comments Ian Grove, project manager, De Vere.
At the time of building, group managing director Cursley belonged to a local hoteliers' group. A member of this group was a wheelchair-user and Cursley sought her advice throughout. The only change that had to be made for the conference was the addition of a ramp for the stage in the main conference room.
Other facilities at the hotel include: toilets for disabled people on all public floors; lifts to the swimming pool, changing rooms for disabled people and staff willing to help; flashing lights and vibrating pillows in accessible rooms in the event of fire; a ramp for the restaurant; voice-activated lifts announcing which floor the lift is on; and restaurants or bars without doors.
One criticism that could be levelled at the hotel is its efforts for the visually impaired. Much of the hotel's floor is marble, which reflects light, and the glass doors at the entrance have no patterns or panels to draw attention to them, adding to the difficulties a visually impaired person encounters. "Disability is not just about people in wheelchairs," says Verney.
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT
This act makes it an offence for employers and providers of goods and services to discriminate against people with disabilities. The Government says it expects to deal with 3,000 related industrial tribunal cases every year.
The act affects the hospitality sector in two ways. It makes it easier for those with disabilities to apply for jobs, and ensures the same services are available to them as to everyone else.
It will be enforced from November 1996 (see Need to Know, Caterer, 30 November). n
