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Hotels and hospitality businesses offering guests accessible rooms or facilities that go “above and beyond’ could be in line for a £20,000 jackpot next year at the Blue Badge Access Awards.
The Blue Badge Access Awards (BBAA) recognises hotels, restaurants, leisure and tourism venues that “celebrate innovative design and thoughtful approaches to accessibility”.
For next year, a £20,000 prize will be awarded to a business or company that shows an understanding of, and willingness to welcome, disabled guests or patrons and their companions; or to an individual or group that shows it has invested in something that will revolutionise the guest experience for those with disabilities, either seen or unseen or both.
Fiona Jarvis, founder of the bi-annual BBAA, and who uses a wheelchair, told guests at the awards launch last week that the market is worth around £274 million a year. Operators of hotels and restaurants however miss out, because they do not provide or highlight accessible facilities such as adapted bedrooms, public toilets or accessible changing rooms.
She said: “16 million people in the UK have a disability. Many of them will be looking for places to stay along with friends or family. Do hospitality venues really want to miss out on a share of £274 million?”. Jarvis added that guests with disabilities tend to book well in advance, stay longer, and spend more than able bodied guests and, once they have found a property they like, tend to be loyal customers.
As well as raising awareness of the need to ensure all accommodation providers offer accessible rooms – which could range from spacious rooms with additional support such as a track hoist, which helps transport people from the bedroom to the wet room or bathroom – Jarvis called on the sector to think about this year’s theme for the BBAA: intersectionality.
“Everyone has different needs”, said Jarvis, who also invented and patented a sturdy drinks cup that clips on to wheelchair. “No disability is the same and people shouldn’t make assumptions. Many people live with more than one disability or impairment. Someone may be in a wheelchair but they might also be blind. For some people, their disability is hidden and you may not be able to tell.”
One guest at the launch, which took place in London’s step-free Gaucho Piccadilly restaurant, highlighted the challenges of living with invisible disabilities: “Very few hotels include useful information of disabled guests on their websites, so I need to phone a hotel each time I need to book to make sure my specific requirements can be met.”
Alongside this year’s £20,000 jackpot are several other categories including best accessible bar, best accessible toilet, Ludicrous Loo and Ridiculous Ramp.
The awards are supported by a number of hoteliers and restauranteurs including Robin Sheppard, co-founder and president of Bespoke Hotels; Michael Caines, chef patron of Lympstone Manor; Martin William, founder of Gaucho and M Restaurants; former Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson; Sophie Morgan of the #RightsOnFlights campaign, and more.
Nominations across the 12 award categories are now open until 1 April 2025.
