Disabled access to U.K. stores poor
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The reading
A new report from the British government says access for disabled people in stores in Britain is "shocking". The U.K. government visited and checked more than 30,000 shops and restaurants across the country. They found that many stores and eateries made it very difficult or impossible for disabled people to shop or eat while shopping. The survey listed many examples of how difficult it is for disabled people to go shopping. Around 20 per cent of stores had no wheelchair ramps and two-thirds of staff in shops had no training to help disabled customers. Going to the bathroom is also difficult for people in wheelchairs. Over 40% of restaurants and 30 per cent of stores have no accessible toilet.
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Britain's Minister for Disabled People, Mark Harper, said it was unfair that the disabled had such problems when shopping. He said people with disabilities should be able to enjoy...shopping just like everyone else. He told reporters: "Everyone deserves to be able to go...shopping or enjoy a festive meal or drink with their friends or colleagues." He added that stores and restaurants were losing money because they did not help the disabled, saying: "This isn't just about doing what's right. Businesses are missing a trick by not doing more to tap into this market." He said: "A fifth of the British population has a disability and they and their households have a spending power of over £200 billion [$310bn]."
Sources:
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30342957
- http://www.economicvoice.com/disabled-shoppers-driven-from-the-high-street-by-poor-accessibility-charity-survey-finds/
- http://www.localgov.co.uk/Disabled-people-denied-pleasure-of-Christmas-shopping/37709
