We’ve developed an accessibility guide for Take it away retailers which is designed to give you the confidence to make your shop, website, and promotional activity accessible and inclusive for all. In this extract, we explore the accessibility requirements you need to consider when putting on events in your shop.
Workshops and events, such as involvement in Learn to Play Day, are a great way of attracting new audiences and diversifying your customer base. To ensure you are attracting as wide an audience as possible, you may wish to consider the following points:
- Provide plenty of chairs for those who would like to sit and rest during the event or workshop. It is always better to use regular height tables and chairs instead of poseur tables
- If you are holding an event with a seated audience, leave plenty of space or a designated area for wheelchair users
- If you are holding a ticketed event, make it clear that disabled guests do not need to pay to bring a support worker or access assistant
- If there will be flash photography or flashing lights at an event, let your audience know
- On invites, it is a good idea to highlight accessibility and provide a telephone number and email address if someone has access requirements. You can include the phrase ‘if you would like to discuss any access requirements before your visit, please get in touch’.
The statistics below show why it is worth integrating accessibility into your business activity. It can help you to attract new customers, secure customer loyalty, and ensure you are reaching the widest possible audience.
Percentage of the UK population who identify as disabled (13.9 million people)
Percentage of disabled people who search a venue’s accessibility info online before visiting
1
Money lost every month by inaccessible high street shops
Read more extracts from the Accessibility Guide
Do You Have An Accessibility Statement?
The key information you should include about accessibility on your website. This can be in the form of a short statement outlining if your shop is accessible for people with limited mobility and highlighting any barriers customers may face when visiting. Read more
Making Your Shop More Accessible
There are a few ways that you can make a disabled customer’s visit to your shop a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. Read more
Accessible Marketing and Communications
How you market and communicate your shop can help improve its overall accessibility. From getting involved in campaigns like Purple Tuesday or producing information in alternative formats, there are many ways you can help create a more inclusive shopping experience for all your customers. Read more
Download the Accessibility Guide
