Chris Maclean: Revisiting the DDA

I have to confess I'd forgotten about the DDA. In recent years there has been a succession of laws passed that have to be carried out by licensees. The Disability Discrimination Act was among them and compelled us to examine our provision for people of differing abilities. Unfortunately I've been too preoccupied with the Licensing Act, the smoking ban and the other bits and pieces to revisit the DDA. And there are shortfalls.

It is good legislation. It requires of us to think through what we do from the position of a potential customer who might find it difficult to use what we offer. It isn't, nor has it ever been, only about wheelchair users. It requires we consider all aspects of our business and address problems people might be confronted with. It is simple enough and is framed within the context of what is "reasonably practicable".

But this week we've been visited by a gentleman in a wheelchair who will be dining with friends in our restaurant next week and needs to establish if he can get from the restaurant to the toilets. He has visited twice and it is glaringly obvious, whatever provisions we have, he will find using this space difficult. He is not insistent. He is not argumentative. But it is embarrassing to witness the experience of someone in a wheelchair confronted by something as simple as a step. And we have lots of them.

We have tried to provide alternative facilities. What if, for example, we sat the party in a part of the bar which is on a level with the toilets? The gentleman rightly pointed out it was the restaurant his friends wished to visit and this compromise fell short.

I have met unreasonable wheelchair Nazis. I have been shouted at because I should have had a ramp in my last pub - even though such a thing would be dangerous to other users. I am conscious this whole debate can polarise people. And I find it slightly bizarre when I seen Braille notices saying "Mind Your Head" or the alleged case of the pubco that had its menus printed in Braille with the instruction "See blackboard for specials".

But the experience of the gentleman in the wheelchair here is quite different. I need to review what is practicable. I need to truly explore what this business is like from other people's perspective. I am not convinced that I have made enough effort and I shall have to do so.

Isn't it strange that this man's visit, without argument or confrontation, is so much more effective in motivating me to do the right thing?