Tried three places for lunch today and none cater for women

Indeed!

I’m curious about where you live. I live in a city full of listed buildings and have a disabled family member. We once had trouble with a bar. Otherwise, nearly all cafes and restaurants in the city have some accessible entry system. I’m surprised to discover this is local. I wonder if it is the high density of listed buildings that has forced this to be the norm.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always easy! But it is always possible to enter.

You're not missing anything worth knowing.

Trust me on this.

Yanbu. I am sorry that there wasn't anywhere suitable for you.

I live in a city where there are lots of places that are inaccessible like this. Steps, toilets that are too small, narrow entrances. It must be so frustrating.

Some places just aren't modern enough to be accessible for the disabled.
Listed buildings can't just knock down walls and the like.
I'm sorry you struggled but maybe it would be better to plan your lunches out in advance so you know what to expect.

It's not people's understanding that's the issue, it's the content of your OP-it absolutely missed the mark.

I don’t know why you’re getting such a hard time OP, I got it from your first post.

i read it aghast that anywhere wouldn’t be suitable for women. And then the last sentence I got it.

It certainly had the desired affect for me when reading. Outrageous for you

Recognising it as a poor analogy (which it was) doesnt mean that one doesnt recognise and understand how difficult access its for those with limited mobility/wheelchair users.

Im often left asking myself, how would I do this in a wheelchair or with a walking frame when Im doing something. Having had problems with mobility in the past, although not now, Im very aware of it anyway

It doesnt mean I expect every single place to be accessible becuase thats not possible

I get annoyed with things like crossings, public transport, car park surfaces etc rather than cafes and shops which may have been built many years ago and cannot convert.

It’s a point poorly made, that’s on you. There are a lot of reasons people can’t just show up and buy lunch without looking ahead that don’t involve disability.

Why are we specifically having a go at women here? It’s a stupid analogy. And lots of people have to plan ahead when eating out for all sorts of reasons, it’s not that ridiculous

@Mrsmunchofmunchington - it’s a really powerful analogy. Helped me understand. Must be really frustrating x

I'm sorry there were so many inaccessible places but there are plenty of people who would have to call in advance of eating somewhere, those with allergies, bringing children to a licensed premises, vegan options....

Theres nothing about being a woman that means you would struggle to use a particular thing/building

I guess if they only had urinals, but that’s unlikely.

I’m also curious that there wasn’t anywhere that was wheelchair accessible. I’m struggling to think of any town I’ve been to where the majority of places, if not all, would have had wheelchair access.

Unless you need something like a Changing Places toilet - in which case that no doubt is more difficult to find, but I’m not sure that could be enforced on small businesses.

I have specific food requirements and I nearly always phone ahead.

Could men without working legs access the places you went to?

I understood exactly what you meant OP, and I think it’s an excellent analogy. I’m a wheelchair user too though, so have this experience every day.

The problem is that people who can just go where they like when they like can’t appreciate how difficult it is for the likes of us.

I was at the supermarket today and the new cupboard style fridges meant I couldn’t get anything I wanted myself. There would be an outcry if women were required to ask an assistant to get all their shopping rather than be able to choose it themselves, but because there aren’t as many of us we are overlooked.

I get what you tried to do. Yes it's awful and seems to be going backwards in terms of accessibility, disabled loos being used as store rooms etc. A brand new hmv just opened with it's book section completely inaccessible to wheelchair users.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/disabled-customers-disappointment-after-being-32515506.amp

Not good enough.

Not necessarily. Listing is a common reason as to why a building can't be adjusted to make it accessible, but it is not the only one.

Business owners are required to make reasonable adjustments to allow for accessibility. However if these adjustments would be overly disruptive or otherwise unfeasible, for example moving toilets from the basement to the first floor, or widening all the corridors, then they are not legally required to make these changes. It should be noted that most businesses e.g. restaurants won't actually own the buildings they occupy but will rather be on a lease or rental, so they can sometimes be quite heavily restricted on what they can do.

New buildings are required to be accessible when built.

Okay but why not just write that in the first place? You’re coming across as quite obtuse tbh.
Knowing that good advice for your specific situation would be to call ahead and ask if they have step free access or a lift or research where to go beforehand you didn’t do that for some reason.
Is it because it was a spontaneous trip?
I’ve worked with visually impaired people and they know what they need to do to be able to make a journey because they plan in advance. It’s less convenient than if you’re fully sighted but it’s built into their routine.
Again, I’m sorry you had a shit experience today.

Having a disabled toilet doesn't necessarily mean you can access it as a wheelchair user. Some of them are more like a token gesture and you can't get in the building in the first place in a wheelchair

I am kind of understanding about the obstacles but I think a lot of people don't really understand what it takes to make a place actually accessible to a wheelchair user

Not true.

It doesn’t have to be a listed building for it not to be discrimination, with lots of older buildings it is not always structurally possible or reasonable to make the required changes, or the planning that would be required isn’t possible, or the cost isn’t reasonable based on business size etc.

This isnt comparable though is it?

Theres nothing about being a woman that means you would struggle to use a particular thing/building

But there are lots of reasons why a disability might mean you would struggle to access a building built when disability and accessibility was not designed for.

Its completely different

And I would say that lots of european cities and towns I have been to are far far worse than the UK

So you are saying some cafes are not wheelchair friendly ?

yes if happens sadly

if steps
door too narrow
old building