Disabled Access Day Venue Pack
Disabled Access Day – Venue Pack
We’ve put together this information pack to help you prepare for the big day on 12th March 2016. If you have any questions about any of the information contained in this pack please email or call us on 0131 510 5106.
What is Disabled Access Day?
Disabled Access Day is all about encouraging disabled people to visit a place they’ve never been to before - whether that’s a cinema, coffee shop, museum or anywhere else.
The first ever Disabled Access Day happened on the 17th January 2015, initiated by a group of disabled people and their friends and sponsored by Euan’s Guide. The day ended up being a lot bigger than initial expectations! A total of 261 venues across eleven countries signed up, from local coffee shops to national museums. Venues of all sizes took part.
Quote from someone who took part: My partner and I are both disabled and will go to the cinema on Saturday. It will be the first time in 8 years that we have been to the cinema. There’s a small cinema in our town, that we will try to access.
Quote from someone who took part: Pleased to get out and about with my disabled daughter, her quality of life is much improved if we go places and do things!
Over 1000 disabled people and their friends and families got involved in a range of activities on the day. From British Sign Language demonstrations to backstage tours there were lots of activities taking place across the UK. Feedback in the lead up to, during and post event suggests that the day gave people a reason to, and in some cases, the confidence to try somewhere new.
We know there are tonnes of great accessible venues out there, we also know that many of them don’t shout about it! Disabled Access Day is the perfect day to engage with new people and start (or continue) promoting all the accessible facilities at your venue.
So whether it’s a special event or a good old fashioned welcome - get involved this Disabled Access Day and help us make it even bigger and better than last year’s event.
Top 10 Tips: Making Your Venue More Accessible
Disabled Access Day might seem like a while away but time will fly! So here are some top tips for preparing for the day:
Train your staff
Our reviewers repeatedly tell us that their best experiences have come from great staff and excellent service. A large part of being accessible is to be as friendly and as helpful as possible: be welcoming to customers and aim to make sure that nothing is ‘tricky’ - instead offer the best solutions to any issues that may arise.
Your staff may need some support regarding accessibility as they may have limited or no experience of disabled access before. Enable your staff to feel confident, and not anxious, by providing training which leads to a warm welcome for everyone. Ensure that staff know how to provide help and assistance – even if it is a small gesture such as carrying coffee to a table. Good access is not just about facilities, it’s also about being friendly and inviting.
And make sure your staff know that your venue is involved in Disabled Access Day 2016 so that they’re able to promote it to your customers too!
Test equipment
Sometimes equipment that’s been installed to make your venue more accessible is neglected or forgotten. For example Induction Loops are a helpful piece of equipment but to be effective they need to be regularly tested and you need clear signage so people know they’re available. Platform lifts are another accessible feature that are often easily forgotten about, especially if not regularly used. Make sure there is regular maintenance and that routes to and from the lift are clear at all times.
Create a regular maintenance schedule to ensure that hearing loops, along with any other technology you have to improve accessibility are regularly tested and clearly sign posted to ensure that customers can make the most of the facilities available.
In the PDF version there is a photograph of an induction loop sign displayed in a window.
Look at your information
When providing information it is important to make sure it is accessible. Take a look at everything your venue has from leaflets to signage. Does your website clearly explain the accessibility of your venue and is it easy to find? Do you have large print versions of menus in your café? Is there a BSL video which welcomes visitors to your attraction and tells them what to expect? If you don’t have these facilities already Disabled Access Day is a great day to launch your new accessible information and signage.
Now might also be a good opportunity to look at the information that is provided for staff and ensure that accessible formats are also available for them.
Check your signage
Once people have arrived, signage is really important to help them navigate through your building. When it comes to signs, high contrast text and clear directions are best. Signs which have a wheelchair symbol and an arrow can be confusing. It is better to have a sign which says ‘wheelchair access to the cafe’ accompanied by an arrow. Don’t forget to place signs intended for wheelchair users in places that are visible from a seated position. Where would people want to go when arriving or when they are leaving? Is the exit clearly signposted? Are wheelchair accessible evacuation routes signposted?
In the PDF version there is a photograph of an accessible toilet sign with braille.
What are your toilets like?
They are not always glamorous but they are often a deciding factor when people are researching for places to go. Simple adjustments can make a huge difference. For example, removing surplus or oversized bins and other non-essentials will increase the amount of space wheelchair users have to manoeuvre.
If you have a toilet with a red emergency cord make sure that it’s accessible and not tied in knots or hard to reach (it should hang freely all the way to the floor). Euan’s Guide launched their Red Cord Campaign to raise awareness about this and you can order a card to attach to your red cord via their website ( This will ensure it remains accessible to those who may need it.
Be creative with your space
Like people, wheelchairs come in all different shapes and sizes, and wheelchair users need to be able to move around your venue in order to enjoy their experience and see what’s on offer. Aim to keep your floor space free of obstruction and have a clear path around the room. It’s good to have enough room in aisles for a wheelchair user and for somebody to pass. Remember to consider sightlines as well and whether or not a wheelchair user will be able to see what is coming up ahead.
Aim to keep your venue as bright as possible – dark environments can make it difficult for visually impaired visitors to read information or notice important signage. Where light levels are important for your environment, you can always illuminate signs. The London Canal Museum cleverly installed buttons for visually impaired visitors to turn on a timed light so that they may view light sensitive artefacts.
Write an access statement and list on Euan’s Guide!
People are unlikely to assume that your venue has good access, so it is a good idea to tell potential visitors about your facilities. Before visiting a new place for the first time, disabled people will often look for information about what to expect when they arrive, including whether your space includes features such an accessible toilet, level access or good signage. Information about parking and public transport is particularly helpful as well. If people can find this information, they are more likely to visit – and don’t be surprised if they return again and again!
VisitEngland and VisitScotland have handy online tools which can help you to write your access statement. Once you have an access statement add it to your website so it’s easy for people to find the information. Where possible have a contact person who can be contacted directly and answer any access questions.
In the PDF version the Euan’s Guide logo is shown.
Euan’s Guide is a disabled access review website and app; venues taking part in Disabled Access Day are asked to list their venue on the site. Listing a venue takes between 5 and 15 minutes, you will be asked a range of questions about your access, staff training and transport to your venue.
Engage with your customers
Include your customers by talking to them and finding out from personal experiences how you can improve access in your venue. Invite feedback on accessible features that your customers look for or use, and encourage them to share their experiences by reviewing on Euan’s Guide. It may be a nice gesture to offer an incentive or thanks for their time, such as loyalty card stamps or a free sample for example. Use this feedback to make adjustments to your venue, where possible, in time for Disabled Access Day. Some small changes can make a big difference and be straight forward, easy to implement and cost effective all at the same time.
Fill up a water bowl
Visitors may be visiting your venue with an assistance dog. Be inclusive by offering to pour the dog some water; visitors may feel pressured to leave if their dog has gone a long time without something to drink. You can order a water bowl from Euan’s Guide – they’ve been going down a treat with our canine friends!
In the PDF version there is a photograph of a dog drinking from a Euan’s Guide dog bowl.
Sign up to our e-newsletter
To receive up to date information about what’s going on as well as tips and ideas make sure you’re signed up to our e-newsletter. You can sign up over on our website: DisabledAccessDay.com.
You can also keep up to date with developments on Twitter (@Access_Day) and Facebook (fb.com/DisabledAccessDay).
How do I register my event?
It’s as easy as 1,2,3…
1) Sign up for Disabled Access Day
2) List your venue on Euan’s Guide
3) Plan and promote your event
Register on Euan’s Guide (if you haven’t already)
Euan’s Guide is the disabled access review website and app and is the main sponsor of Disabled Access Day 2016. For your event to feature on the Disabled Access Day website you need to register on Euan’s Guide by going to the ‘list a venue’ page, it will take between 5 and 15 minutes to add your venue and you can always come back and add more information at a later date if you don’t have it all to hand. You will also be asked to add photographs so people know what to expect – pictures of your toilets are particularly useful! Once you’re done hit submit and our moderators will work behind the scenes so your venue goes live on the site as soon as possible.
Add an event to your Euan’s Guide Listing
Once you’ve received an email to confirm your venue is live all you need to do is log in to your account and add an event. To do this go to your profile, scroll to the bottom of the page and you’ll see your venue where you can click ‘add event’. Complete all the information and make sure you tick the box at the bottom of the form so that your event appears on the Disabled Access Day website.
Go to DisabledAccessDay.com
You’re finished! If you go to the ‘Event Search’ on the Disabled Access Day website and type in the location of your event you will see it appear in the search results! Wasn’t that easy?!
Now all you need to do is start promoting your event!
If you have any questions about the sign up process please email .
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to get involved but I’m not quite sure what my event will be yet – what do I do?
No problem, you can still add your venue to the list of participating venues by adding a Disabled Access Day event to your Euan’s Guide profile but for now you can just put in some holding text. For example, “We are busy planning activities for Disabled Access Day 2016, check back soon for more information.” You can log in and edit the text when you know more about what will happen on the day.
Why do I have to register with Euan’s Guide?
Euan’s Guide is the main sponsor of Disabled Access Day – it’s a review website and app that aims to empower people by providing information that will give confidence and choices for getting about. By registering on Euan’s Guide people who are searching for information on access for your venue will be able to find accurate information about what to expect. It’s a great way to demonstrate your commitment to accessibility and gain an insight into how accessible your venue is as you build up reviews and receive feedback. Disabled Access Day is the perfect day to encourage people to submit reviews of your venue!
Can I add other events to Euan’s Guide?
Yes of course! The more events you can add the better! Follow the same steps for adding your Disabled Access Day event - you just don’t need to tick the box at the bottom of the form. Events now and in the future will then appear in the ‘what’s on’ tab on your venue listing.
Got another question? Just send us an email () or call us 0131 510 5106, we’re happy to help!
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