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| Disabled people's access to High Street 'shocking', audit finds | Disabled people's access to High Street 'shocking', audit finds |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Access for disabled people on the High Street in Britain is "shocking", according to a government audit of more than 30,000 shops and restaurants. | Access for disabled people on the High Street in Britain is "shocking", according to a government audit of more than 30,000 shops and restaurants. |
| Thousands of venues had failed to adapt their premises, with a fifth of shops excluding wheelchair users, a survey found. | |
| There are 12 million people in Britain with disabilities, with an estimated spending power of £200bn. | There are 12 million people in Britain with disabilities, with an estimated spending power of £200bn. |
| Businesses are "missing a trick" and must do better, ministers said. | Businesses are "missing a trick" and must do better, ministers said. |
| Accessibility information providers DisabledGo visited all of the 30,000 venues in person to assess them, in the largest-ever audit of its kind in the UK. | |
| They found a fifth of shops had no wheelchair access, only 15% of restaurants and shops had hearing loops and three quarters of restaurants did not cater for those with visual impairments. | They found a fifth of shops had no wheelchair access, only 15% of restaurants and shops had hearing loops and three quarters of restaurants did not cater for those with visual impairments. |
| When they asked leading chains directly for more information, only 4% of 105 national retailers responded. | When they asked leading chains directly for more information, only 4% of 105 national retailers responded. |
| Findings of disability audit | Findings of disability audit |
| "Everyone deserves to be able to go Christmas shopping or enjoy a festive meal or drink with their friends or colleagues," said Minister for Disabled People Mark Harper, who commissioned the survey. | "Everyone deserves to be able to go Christmas shopping or enjoy a festive meal or drink with their friends or colleagues," said Minister for Disabled People Mark Harper, who commissioned the survey. |
| "This isn't just about doing what's right. Businesses are missing a trick by not doing more to tap into this market. | "This isn't just about doing what's right. Businesses are missing a trick by not doing more to tap into this market. |
| "A fifth of the British population has a disability and they and their households have a spending power of over £200bn. Improving accessibility is a no-brainer." | "A fifth of the British population has a disability and they and their households have a spending power of over £200bn. Improving accessibility is a no-brainer." |
| Shadow minister for disabled people Kate Green said the report made for "depressing" reading. | |
| "While businesses work hard to ensure their premises are accessible, some high street names are failing to make the reasonable adjustments they're required to do by law," she said. | |
| "While it's welcome the Department for Work and Pensions have commissioned this report, this Tory-led government has weakened the Equality and Human Rights Commission that helps enforce disability discrimination law. | |
| "Ministers must say what they are going to do to ensure business meets its obligations to disabled people, especially what help they will give small local businesses." | |
| 'Unacceptable' | 'Unacceptable' |
| Barry Stevenson, chairman of DisabledGo and a former director of Marks and Spencer, said: "We are pleased that many retailers have invested significantly in improved accessibility in the last 10 years, but the majority are still not doing enough." | Barry Stevenson, chairman of DisabledGo and a former director of Marks and Spencer, said: "We are pleased that many retailers have invested significantly in improved accessibility in the last 10 years, but the majority are still not doing enough." |
| "It's entirely unacceptable for disabled people, their family, friends and carers, not to be able to access all high street shops and facilities." | "It's entirely unacceptable for disabled people, their family, friends and carers, not to be able to access all high street shops and facilities." |
| "Disabled people are not asking the earth; just that management do what's reasonable and think more about how they can help disabled customers better. | "Disabled people are not asking the earth; just that management do what's reasonable and think more about how they can help disabled customers better. |
| "And that includes better communication about their accessibility online. | "And that includes better communication about their accessibility online. |
| "It doesn't need to cost a fortune to do the right thing and it could be the deciding factor for disabled customers between you and a competitor." | "It doesn't need to cost a fortune to do the right thing and it could be the deciding factor for disabled customers between you and a competitor." |
| The Equality Act of 2010 obliges organisations to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. | The Equality Act of 2010 obliges organisations to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. |
| Ministers previously put a value of £80bn on the spending power of people with disabilities. But this was re-calculated earlier this year to include friends and family of disabled people, not just disabled people themselves, resulting in the larger figure. | Ministers previously put a value of £80bn on the spending power of people with disabilities. But this was re-calculated earlier this year to include friends and family of disabled people, not just disabled people themselves, resulting in the larger figure. |