Before you set about making your shop premises more accessible to all people, it is important to define what is meant by accessibility. In order for something to be considered accessible it needs to be easy to approach, enter, reach and use, as well as providing ease of communication for ALL people. Accessibility is the ability for all people to engage with, participate in, and belong to the world around us. In the case of people with physical or mental disabilities the world around them can present a range of barriers that don’t allow them to live a completely fulfilling life.
In an ideal world our society would be constructed in a way that allows us all to cross the road safely in our own time; see signs, read directions, hear announcements, reach buttons, have the strength to open heavy doors etc. All persons with disabilities have the right to fully enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including shopping!
There are over 10 million disabled people in the UK; this includes the elderly, disabled children, and working-age adults with a disability. However when talking about accessibility it’s important to remember that people with limited knowledge of the English language and those with young children also face issues with accessing certain aspects of daily life.
Below are some of the key ways in which you can increase the accessibility your shop premises:
- Mobility – Automatic doors will make your premises more accessible for customers with a mobility problem, i.e. those in wheelchairs. Likewise the entrance to your shop should be flat or ramped to allow for wheelchair users and parents with prams to enter easily. It’s important that your customers have enough room to manoeuvre easily once inside the store. You can enable this by placing your fixtures wide enough apart to allow a wheelchair to easily pass down the aisles. Clothing stores with changing rooms should have at least one changing room equipped for disabled customers; and at least one till point should be lowered to cater for wheelchair users.
- Hearing – An induction loop fitted in your premises, at the cash desk or changing rooms for example, means that hearing-impaired customers will have better accessibility to your services. The customer can adjust their hearing aid to the correct setting for the induction loop area, which will enable them to better engage in communication with sales assistants.
- Vision – If you lay out your fixtures and fittings correctly to cater for customers with mobility problems then you’ll also be benefitting visually impaired customers. Those who rely on a guide dog or stick to help them move around safely will appreciate the extra room to manoeuvre. Ensure that any signage is displayed in bold, easy to read font, and offer large-print or Braille versions of paperwork where possible.
- Staff Training – It’s vital to ensure that all of your staff are fully trained in line with current disability legislation and that they put theory into practice whilst dealing with customers. Make sure that all staff are trained in how to operate the induction loop and that they know the location of the large-print and Braille pamphlets. Your staff should be vigilant and proactive so that if a disabled customer enters the store they are offered help if they need it and not made to feel different to any able-bodied customer.