Disabled Customers Shut Out of Pubs

[Blackcats7]

Due to my disabilities I rarely get to go anywhere but last week a friend kindly took me out and afterwards we went for a pub lunch.
When we arrived there were two flights of two steps with no handrail or a ramp. I didn’t want to seem difficult or embarrass my friend but I was wondering how on earth I could get in as I use a rollator (a wheeled walking frame for those not familiar) and the steps were impossible for me. I can manage one step at home but have grab rails to hold on to. With a bit of help from a burly chap on his way out I got in and we had lunch.
Afterwards I asked where the loo was to be told it was down a flight of six stairs and there was no accessible loo at all. My friend got quite cross on my behalf and asked if disabled customers were supposed to pee on the floor.
We had asked to speak to the manager but were told they were not available. The waiter said well we do warn disabled people when they come in that there is no toilet to which I told him this was a) not true as nobody had warned me before I ate and drank and I am visibly disabled b) do they presume they can identify everybody who might require an accessible loo on sight as some disabilities are not visible and c) is it appropriate to be greeting customers by drawing attention to their toilet needs.
I asked how in 2024 a pub has no accessibility whatsoever and was told that the owner knows as there have been complaints before but he doesn’t care.
I had made it clear to the waiter that I was not angry with him personally but as he was representing the establishment I had to speak to him. He understood and accepted this so it was not personally acrimonious.
To get out there were two steps into the back garden which I just about managed although could easily have fallen tbh and then my friend had to move a table and pull back a conifer so I could get out the back gate into the car park.
I have since looked into the owner of this pub and he owns five others locally and has just bought a sixth so he is clearly doing pretty well financially.
It is not a listed building and there is plenty of room front and back which could be used to put in ramps.
I would like to take this matter further because it is terrible that disabled people are shut out like this.
Whilst the law supports accessibility I am struggling to find out who if anyone enforces this. It is not part of licensing conditions. Any ideas on where to turn to please?
The pub has a big sign by the front door saying Dogs Welcome (which is great) and I think they should add another saying Disabled People Are Not Welcome.

OP the reason people are blaming your friend is that unfortunately if you are going out to a pub/shop/restaurant/leisure centre/cinema/whatever with someone with a disability you as the able bodied person should check it is suitable for their needs. This is because disabilities are all different.

In regards to the pub - the owner can state that they make reasonable adjustments for people with certain disabilities but can't for those with mobility impairments or those who need a larger toileting space due to the age of the building. (You just reminded me lots of pubs I go to due to being in old buildings aren't mobility accessible but all 'spoons I've been in are. Oddly my nearest bar/restaurant is step free but has no disabled toilet.)

Btw you were rude to Pinkypup

Ewan's guide is good for this sort of thing btw,

Waste of time.

They will simply pay people to write reviews to bury yours.

Incidentally I once took to task a leisure centre over a staff member's attitude to a young person in my group needing to use the stair lift due to a disability that includes mobility issues. I received a non-apology apology but no-one in the group ever saw that individual working when we went back.

Same here. And same if we have other special needs, diet, or want to take our dog, etc. Check first.

This. Also make it clear on their website whether premises are accessible or not
So few places bother to do this.

I sympathise OP. Having to check access before going anywhere is an absolute pain.

Lots of disabled people have replied to you - and none of the responses are ableism.

Unfortunately the law is the way it is. You have the option, as anyone does, to complain, give poor reviews, slate th everywhere you like, but until you're in possession of all the facts, I wouldn't go too banzai.

For all we know the owner has been refused planning permission to make any adjustments to the access or installation of a new toilet, or the cost of them has been explored but would bankrupt a barely surviving business, or there are existing plans and they are renovating next week.

Make the complaint, ask how the are complying with the Equality Act, but be prepared to hear they don't need to do anything because they legally don't...

Not every building can be made accessible.

https://www.euansguide.com
This site can be super useful

How do you know the owner has the funds and space to make changes?

Write a very thorough review online in various places.

Is thr pub part of a chain? I can think of a number of brewery chains that have a number.bet of pubs with varied premises. If so, then raising it with the chain/brewery would be a starting point. If that's not the case, perhaps local council might have a relevant department.

This is not a barely surviving business, the owner has just bought yet another pub to add to the group. All are in very affluent areas with good local and tourist trade.
As for me being rude well somebody calls my friend “a prick” and I am rude to say that this shows the calibre of this poster?! I don’t think so.
It is not up to the able bodied person accompanying me to make sure my needs are provided for. I am an adult capable of making my own decisions. It is my legs and spine which don’t work and this doesn’t impair my cognition.
I wonder how people might feel if as women you had to check ahead if a pub had womens toilets? It’s a separate space so would you be quite happy if the pub said they don’t have room/ funds for another loo? Not that this is even the case here because this is a flourishing business, not a listed building and there is plenty of room to make adjustments. As I also said just two portable ramps which cost a few hundred pounds would be a great improvement but nothing has been done and staff told me the owner is simply not interested.
This is choice from an owner who does not care. Being local I know a good number of those who live close to this chaps pubs and have done my research. If he was a struggling one man band I would excuse his behaviour but this is a very wealthy person well able to afford a couple of ramps and even a loo too.

This

Yeah this is the sad truth of it really

Maybe I am too radical, born out of frustration, but if a business won't make the necessary adjustments to accomodate disabled people then their licence should be withdrawn. They have had decades to sort this. Decades. Not even having ramps is abominable.

I have been in very old buildings which have made adjustments. Our local pub is a listed building and has done just that. They basically carved out a space in part of the pub to install an accessible loo.

I get that you're annoyed, but legally he doesn't have to do anything and you should check in advance

Ramps to get in would admittedly be an easy fix, but if toilets are down 6 steps, it's a huge expense to put an accessible lift and loo in

The onus is on you to check
Thankfully there are lots of places that do provide accessibility - they deserve your business

One of my bfs is in a wheelchair and we prefer to only go to places that cater for her

So seek to make complaints and try and get a place shut down, have people lose their jobs?

@WhereIsBebèsChambre - where did I say that? I said "make him face uncomfortable questions." The OP has done some research and has reported she believes he is comfortable and is buying another pub.

So challenge him to put in various ways to make his pub more accessible. I am not disabled, so I do not know exactly what measures would work, but the op included a couple of suggestions which would have helped her - and likely other customers.

@Blackcats7 Surely you going there and staying is supporting him, if you don't want to support him vote with your feet, If a venue is not suitable to your needs, leave and use one that is. You have a voice use it, you could have told your friend that you wanted to go somewhere else,if they were your friend the would/should have listened and gone elsewhere.
I say this as someone who has a "hidden disability"

Well clearly I won’t be going there again but events unfolded gradually as described.

@spamm it was the pubs can lose their licence' which insinuates the wanting the pub to close.

@Blackcats7 yes, you stayed that from arrival access was difficult, at that point I would have said to my friend that it wasn't a suitable venue and gone somewhere that was suitable. You did not and chose to stay .

Are you saying people shouldn't try to make positive changes in case someone loses their job? That's silly

I realise there is nothing you could have done about the toilets, but why didn’t you used the easier access from the car park rather than the two flights of stairs at the front, you did say your friend had driven so I assume she was actually parked in the carpark.

Of course not. I'm agreeing with pp that the building may not be able to have changes made to it, so look or ask about that first and for the first action to be to make multiple negative reviews- only the actual one from the OP would be real is a bit daft.

@WhereIsBebèsChambre - I know that it is difficult to read intent in words on a screen, but I can assure you that I meant that as being a reason for the owner to feel pressure to do something, not about closing the pub down. We lose too many pubs already every year. But I do want them to be held responsible for creating a welcoming venue for all.