Stores not made for wheelchair users

bod1467

But there are, of course, certain minimum standards for walkway dimensions. 28" seems to be the minimum width (from a quick Google).

http://www.ehow.co.uk/facts_7167795_osha-standards-pedestrian-walkway-width.html

vuvuzela

Scrootum wrote: »

I would not muddy the waters by complaining about the companies style of writing emails. That is their business.

Completely agree with this. Getting worked up over receiving a friendly email as opposed to a formal one seems an over the top response.

Hintza

marybee wrote: »

As the shop was busy, I could not get through with the wheelchair

So if the shop hadn't been busy then you could have got down the aisles?

bris

Waste of time, shops are busy at this time of the year and you are not the only one struggling to get anything done, wheelchair or not.

Nothing wrong with their email either, no reply would make you happy, you are on a crusade that will end with nothing being done so why waste your time and theirs on a useless complaint.

lincroft1710

Many charity shops are difficult for able bodied customers to walk round, someone in a wheelchair would be stuck at the entrance.

ThumbRemote

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Reasonable is key and whilst their reply wasn't good, ultimately if they are struggling to survive then getting as much out there to buy and sacrificing a small % of shoppers for the benefit of the majority may be deemed a reasonable action.

'Reasonable adjustments' refers to the efforts a premises owner must make to make the premises accessible to the disabled, as per the equality act 2010.

There is some good guidance here for shops:
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/service-providers-guidance/what-equality-law-means-for-your-business-when-you-re-providing-goods-facilities-or-services-to-the-public/businesses-selling-products-such-as-shops-and-petrol-stations/

Specifically, they suggest that shops could move display units if there is no 'significant loss of selling space'.

Your comment above suggests that they may have recently put out more shelves to 'sacrifice' disabled customers (although OP doesn't indicate that). I don't think in this case that would be considered reasonable - you can't just take an accessible premises and make it inaccessible for profit.

However the guide indicates that if they can't move display units, they need to have other means of making their service accessible - including training staff or even taking products to the street. It doesn't seem that they've done anything, which certainly would be considered unreasonable.

ThumbRemote

bris wrote: »

Waste of time, shops are busy at this time of the year and you are not the only one struggling to get anything done, wheelchair or not.

Nothing wrong with their email either, no reply would make you happy, you are on a crusade that will end with nothing being done so why waste your time and theirs on a useless complaint.

Utter rubbish.

Presumably disabled people shouldn't bother to fight for rights at all as nothing will ever be done. Maybe the suffragettes shouldn't have bothered either. That Nelson Mandela, he should have just kept quiet.

It's only by people making a stand that inequality and injustice are removed. You should be ashamed of yourself to suggest otherwise.

lemontart

as a recent wheelchair user I am finding many shops inaccessible in such from inadequate access at entrances with one having a movable ramp that was only suitable for pushchairs so no access there, to baskets of goods by tills and in aisles making them impassable to cashiers not seeing me in ques over the till. I now find my self "parked" outside some stores freezing. and no doubt getting a soaking or two at some point.

I now rarely go out with out needing my chair so any trips to shop are a planned like a military tattoo , with parking (no blue badge) access and shelter as well as disabled loos.

Chickabiddybex

There is a balance though, especially in this climate. I fully support equal rights. Both for disabled customers and the store owners themselves. If a store can afford it then they definitely should make the necessary adjustments for wheelchair access. However, when this would prove so costly/profit reducing that the store would have to close then I do not blame them for not making the store accessible. I would rather the store can survive and the staff keep their jobs.
I'm not saying this was the situation in OP's case however it is a very real situation for many shops balancing on a fine line between safety and closure.

bris

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Utter rubbish.

Presumably disabled people shouldn't bother to fight for rights at all as nothing will ever be done. Maybe the suffragettes shouldn't have bothered either. That Nelson Mandela, he should have just kept quiet.

It's only by people making a stand that inequality and injustice are removed. You should be ashamed of yourself to suggest otherwise.

Eh no, this has nothing to do with the disabled you refering it as is, is an insult.

This has to do with a customer who out shopping in the Xmas rush has no patience in a busy shop so blames the shop. The wheelchair clearly fits down the isles so access is there, God forbid other shoppers dared to get in their way and cause them some inconvieniance.