The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has published updated guidance for pubs to help licensees make their venue as welcoming as possible to those with access needs.
The guide features a foreword from well-known British Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson DBE, and is also endorsed by Paralympic tennis hero Jordanne Whiley.
The new guidance was launched by BBPA chief executive, Brigid Simmonds, who was joined by Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE and Lord Shinkwin, at The Sanctuary, a Fuller’s pub in Westminster.
The guidance is a follow-up to a 2012 document and highlights various steps venues can take to ensure they are as accessible as possible, from access ramps at the door to hearing loops on the bar and large-print menus.
The guide also underlines the importance of staff training, so that pubs can meet the needs of disabled customers and staff can safely operate any access-related equipment, alongside a suite of new case studies from Fuller’s and Enterprise Inns.
The BBPA has once again worked with VisitEngland, Tourism For All, DisabledGo.com and Baroness Grey Thompson, who welcomed the guide as a “positive step in promoting access for all”.
The BBPA has also partnered with Changing Faces, a charity that helps people who have a disfigurement find a way to live the life they want, and have developed a case study helping staff engage with customers who have a distinctive appearance.
Baroness Grey Thompson said: “Having just witnessed yet another successful Paralympics, there is no better time to champion accessibility, and no better place to do so then in the home of hospitality, the Great British pub.
“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.
“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.”
