Earlier this year we were asked by the CEO of the Institute of Hospitality, Robert Richardson, to join their Future Forum which seeks to promote Diversity & Inclusion within the sector.
You can read their article here that profiles each member of the forum. This a great step forward for an industry that’s waking up to the value of the Purple Pound, £274BN spending power at last count, as well as the value of employing disabled people. The most under-used working population that is loyal, industrious and hard working not forgetting they provide positive PR to other employees and customers. They promote enlightened employers.
In other news HGEM a service that measures Guest satisfaction for the Hospitality have written an article on how and why venues should welcome disabled guests.
Read the full article here and the key points include:
Reasons not to exclude disabled people –
‘According to wearepurple.org.uk, the spending power of disabled people and their households in 2020 was estimated to be worth £274 billion per year to UK businesses. Here’s what different sectors are losing out on:
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High Street Shops – £267 million per month
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Restaurants/Pubs/Clubs – £163 million per month’
They also included basic tips on how to improve,
‘Access – Easy access for disabled customers is essential. If the entry isn’t on street level, venues could invest in a portable metal ramp that costs less than £100. The ramp doesn’t have to be permanent, but could be brought out when needed.
TIP: use a baby buggy to walk through your venue to identify the steps, narrow and tricky-to-navigate areas.
Sound – if feasible, having a quiet corner in your venue would help people that are hard of hearing and those with sensory problems will appreciate less background noise.
Light – some atmospheric lighting in pubs and restaurants can be very dark. It might be an idea to keep a few tables well-lit and your partially-sighted customers will thank you for it.’
Let’s hope the hospitality Industry takes note of these improvements!?!