Less able people and their carers overwhelmingly feel that too little is being done to make venues accessible for less able visitors, according to results of our BBS Interest Panel survey, conducted late last year. The respondents of the survey agreed that too many venues are failing to adapt their buildings to become more inclusive…
The Belfast edition of the Malmaison collection of boutique chain hotels is a welcome addition to our reviews of these trendy venues. Even now, having heard it for some time, the idea of a ’boutique chain’ can still be a little grating. It seems something of an oxymoron, but they may just be a very good thing.…
Last week was very busy as it seems it’s exhibition season. First I went to the Hotelympia exhibition of the best in the hotel & restaurant trade and I went specifically to see the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) and a talk by Sir Terence Conran. I succeeded on both counts: First, by accosting the SRA and…
The Big Chill Bar has been described as part of the fabric of Brick Lane life, which naturally means it’s cool, laid back and edging towards a more hipster crowd. It says something about the place that it has had the longevity to become something of an institution in Shoreditch, an area of London where sometimes a…
I and the American Lieutenant ventured on a two hour drive to Birmingham last week to see Naidex National as it “celebrated its 40th Birthday in style” – let us be the judge of that. I was not expecting much and the first impression was ‘Oh no not more grey.’…..that was just the NEC Hall…
Following on from our previous reviews of the North West & N. Ireland chefs appearing in BBC’s Great British Menu , week 3 sees a heat for chefs from the South West, Judged by Sat Bains (whose restaurant, Sat Bains, we reviewed previously and yet again there’s access but no disabled facilities – maybe the BBC are…
As we enter the final few days of play at the Crucible, snooker has hit its annual height in popularity, for what that’s worth. Sure, snooker may not be the world’s chief glamour sport but you have to have a lot of love (or at least a quiet appreciation) for a sport that encourages such a…
We started looking at the accessibility of the restaurants of the Chefs taking part in the BBC’s Great British Menu – this year it’s for veterans of the D-Day Landings in WWII – some of whom I’m sure are frail or suffering from a disability. Week 2 the North West heat, had Daniel Clifford of Midsummer…
Hailo is an amazingly handy app for getting around town by cab. We always say that for less physically able bodied people, particularly wheelchair users, travelling by black cab is the easiest way of getting around and with Hailo it’s easier than ever. You can hail a cab virtually and book one to arrive in…