Disabled Access Day 2016 returns to the UK and to locations worldwide this Saturday for a day of exploring accessible venues and discovering what’s out there.
The annual event which is in its second year will take place on 12th March and hopes to encourage disabled people, their families and friends to choose new places to visit and to gain confidence in accessing unfamiliar venues that have piqued their curiosity.
Following on from the success of last year’s pilot, Disabled Access Day 2016 is set to be even bigger and better! This year’s event will feature over 240 different venues which will be showcasing their accessibility on the day. Alongside hundreds of exciting independent venues taking part are national chains including Caffe Nero, Strada and Barclays, as well as other major companies including John Lewis and the mobile operator Three.
The event has gathered large supporters in the lead up to March 12th including lead sponsor of the day, Euan’s Guide, this disabled access review access and app. Other supporters include VisitEngland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales. In addition to these supporters, a lot of the success at last year’s event was down to the enthusiastic people who took part and who helped to spread the word about Disabled Access Day.
Hub cities with lots of activities going on this year include London, Edinburgh, Leeds, and Newcastle. There are over 40 venues taking part in London alone including popular sites of interest such as Tate Modern, Cutty Sark, National Theatre, Borough Market and more. Individuals taking part can also look forward to free activities and events all across the country, including games with the Disability Sports team at Leeds City Museum, free entrance to the Glasshouses at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh or a tour and a dram at Tomatin Distillery near Inverness to name only a few. To find out more about events in hub cities and elsewhere, please visit the website at www.disabledaccessday.com/event-search.
The day also aims to raise awareness of the importance of sharing disabled access information. A recent survey* by Euan’s Guide revealed that for 82% of respondents, the decision to visit new venues was a result of searching for disabled access information online. Provision of relevant access information is a crucial factor for many disabled people, their families and friends who want to visit somewhere new. Disabled Access Day aims to encourage people to explore new places and gain new experiences by highlighting the good accessibility that is already to be found in towns and cities across the UK and beyond.
Venues themselves will also benefit by ensuring good access. The survey discovered that 98% of disabled people, their friends, families and carers would be likely or very likely to return to places that are accessible as opposed to those that are not. This opportunity is not to be missed by businesses who are looking to engage with this market worth an estimated £212 billion according to DWP figures.
Euan MacDonald, co-founder of the disabled access reviews website EuansGuide.com, the main sponsor of Disabled Access Day, said: “We hope that Disabled Access Day 2016 surpasses last year’s and continues to raise awareness of accessibility across the UK. There are some fantastic events taking place in some great venues so we hope everyone gets out there to try something new and see what is on offer to disabled people, their friends, families and carers.”
