Scots pub disability access law
Anyone applying for a premises licence in Scotland would have to state what they've done to abide by disability discrimination laws, under new plans.
Applications must include a "statement of compliance" with the 2005 Disability Discrimination Act, detailing where changes have been made to remove barriers for disabled people.
The move has been included in an amendment to Scotland's Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill, tabled by George Foulkes MSP. The change would also apply to major licence variations.
It follows a campaign called Barred! from charity Capability Scotland, which says almost 75% of disabled people experience barriers in Scottish pubs.
The Act requires pubs to make "reasonable" adjustments so they don't present barriers for disabled people.
Capability Scotland senior policy advisor Susie Fitton said the amendment has received cross-party support. She expects it to be debated by a committee of MSPs this month.
Fitton said talks are also underway about setting up a voluntary scheme, which would see pubs advertise their accessibility.
Janet Hood, head of BII Scotland, said: "There are laws that cover the situation [about disabled access] already in place. One has to wonder what this is for."
