Disabled access in Hampton Hill

October brings us the third phase of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and many small businesses will now face fines of up to £50,000 if they do not comply. I decided to meet up with Sandy Efion-Jones in the Bonjourno Caf in Hampton Hill High Street, where she had great difficulty gaining access in her wheelchair when she visited the caf back in February.

Sandy recalls: "A man found a piece of wood to hold across the step for me and I was very grateful but politely pointed out that a ramp would be much better." A few weeks later she was surprised to see a concrete ramp, made by the owner. "It shows how a simple gesture can make such a difference. No one on their feet has the humiliation of being pushed, pulled and tilted through a doorway or having to ask for a piece of wood. I was absolutely delighted and now I'm a regular customer."

But educating service providers is not always so easy, hence the importance of the DDA. The law now states that firms and organisations providing goods and services have to make 'reasonable adjustments' to their premises and operations so that no disabled person is prevented from getting access to those services.

The Federation of Small Businesses reports that 42 per cent of its 185,000 members are yet to make any changes.

There are ten million disabled people in the UK with an estimated annual spending power of £50 billion, yet this appears to be an insufficient incentive.

Sandy believes there are two reasons for this: "Firstly we've all been conditioned to think disabled people just sit at home and don't need to use the same services as everyone else.

"A century a go things were very different. We now have electric wheelchairs, and major advances in technology mean deaf and blind people can go out to work. It's great how far we've come, and we must remember to look at it positively, but we also need society to catch up and adjust to these advances."

Sandy also finds that service providers don't realise how easy it can be to make changes. "There's a lot of anxiety about the act, they imagine the whole shop front will have to change and cost lots of money. But there are cheaper options. I truly think we have a nation of people that want to help but don't know how."

She believes the way forward is to educate and encourage. "The word 'discrimination' is used very freely but because someone has a step at their door doesn't mean they're prejudice towards wheelchair users. It's not their fault, they just haven't been educated.

"When I bring up the subject of access people often say to me "we don't get many people in here with wheelchairs" - well it's no wonder if there's a big step! They don't realise that many paying customers are being discouraged."

The Federation of Small Businesses estimate the typical cost of compliance with the DDA will be £1,000 but could be a little as £50.

Where a ramp is not possible, there are other options to consider, such as a temporary ramp, a call button or even offering home deliveries.

And it's not just about wheelchairs, there are many disabilities such as hearing and vision impairments that need to be considered; typical adjustments can include the introduction of handrails, moving displays and lowering counters.

Studying the act in detail can be mind boggling, but for Sandy it is simply about going shopping or having a cup of coffee without facing massive hurdles. She says: "It is so humiliating, always having to ask strangers to help you. All the fuss and effort can be so tiring, you end up wondering why you bothered coming out! I just want to go about anonymously like other people, like the ordinary consumer that I am. It's such a boost for the self-esteem to go somewhere and not feel you're causing problems. And look how easy it was here at Bonjourno Caf - all it took was a bag of cement!"

So October has now arrived, but who will check that premises make the required changes?

Well over 200 disability-access groups are monitoring compliance and those with disabilities will be informed of their right to bring legal action against any business not making 'reasonable attempts' to provide them the same service as others.

Local councils do not have an enforcement role but Richmond upon Thames Council are taking steps to help advise and support local businesses. They work closely with key groups in the community, help arrange and fund initiatives and are more than happy to provide advice to business owners. An online guide to disable-friendly services in the borough - 'Disabled Go' - is also being launched today (Friday).

Reactions from local businesses I spent an afternoon walking around shops, bars and cafs in Twickenham, discussing their disabled access. It generally seems that for every two or three premises that boast a flat or sloped entrance, there are also one or two with a step that would cause problems to a wheelchair user.

This was not an exercise to 'name and shame' people - it simply gained an insight into whether local businesses are aware they need to make changes and how they'll go about it. Here's what some had to say: Simon O'Neil took over the The Fox pub in Church Street just a few weeks ago. There are large downward steps at the two front entrances and Simon said he is well aware of the problem: "I know about the act and the changes coming in this month. We're going to be looking into it as soon as we've settled in. This is actually a grade 2 listed building, so I don't know yet how that will effect what the council will allow us to do."

Dapper is a designer dresswear shop, also in church street, which has a large step at its entrance. Director Steve Seamore said: "I just found out about the act and yes, we need to sit down and figure out what to do, for all our stores. It could be a case of getting a temporary ramp - we actually rent the shop so I imagine external alterations we be down to the landlord."

Claire Ricketts at the Eel Pie Island pub said they are in a small pub group called Woodhouse Inns and everyone is aware of the new legislation. She confirmed her pub is already prepared: "We have a disabled toilet, with all the facilities." The two main doors have steps to enter the pub but further along is door with disabled access. She said: "This is usually locked, for various reasons, but there is always someone here with a key."

At All Bar One there was a big step and it would be hard to get someone's attention, you would have to bang on the windows. A spokesman said they were investing several millions into changes under the act, and the work in Twickenham was due within the next six weeks. "We believe that of equal importance is providing our staff with the wherewithal to provide appropriate service, this is particularly so since guests with mobility difficulties are but one category of the disabled. We are happy, for example, to read out the menu to the partially sighted or blind. Hence we have created our own staff training and awareness programme which focuses on how the Disability Discrimination Act affects our business and how our staff can provide for our disabled guests."

Puccinos, a caf in London Road, has a step to get in and another one to get to the toilets. Manager and franchise owner Ross Cook said: "Yes, we're aware of these problems and it's being looked into as we speak. As you can see, it difficult outside here because a ramp would be in the way of the pavement, so I'm not sure what we'll do, but changes will of course be made."

The Mobile Phone Centre on Heath Road also has a step and manager Jeff Kotecha commented: "Yes, I know a bit about the act, and plans are being made. They're being put to the council and we're waiting to see what they say - and we're also waiting to hear from our head office as to exactly what the requirements are. I don't know what will be done because if you put a ramp out there people would trip over it."

So it seems people are aware something needs to be done, but still need to establish what and how. There also seems little appreciation of how beneficial the changes could be. People told me they would comply with the act because they have to, but many added: "We don't really get many people in wheelchairs, and if we do they're with someone who can help them."

Perhaps they'll be pleasantly surprised by the extra paying customers they might attract with few simple changes.

I spent an afternoon walking around shops, bars and cafs in Twickenham, discussing their disabled access. It generally seems that for every two or three premises that boast a flat or sloped entrance, there are also one or two with a step that would cause problems to a wheelchair user.

This was not an exercise to 'name and shame' people - it simply gained an insight into whether local businesses are aware they need to make changes and how they'll go about it. Here's what some had to say: Simon O'Neil took over the The Fox pub in Church Street just a few weeks ago.

There are large downward steps at the two front entrances and Simon said he is well aware of the problem: "I know about the act and the changes coming in this month.

"We're going to be looking into it as soon as we've settled in. This is actually a grade 2 listed building, so I don't know yet how that will effect what the council will allow us to do."

Dapper is a designer dresswear shop, also in Church Street, which has a large step at its entrance. Director Steve Seamore said: "I just found out about the act and yes, we need to sit down and figure out what to do, for all our stores. It could be a case of getting a temporary ramp - we actually rent the shop so I imagine external alterations would be down to the landlord."

Claire Ricketts at the Eel Pie Island pub said they are in a small pub group called Woodhouse Inns and everyone is aware of the new legislation. She confirmed her pub is already prepared.

"We have a disabled toilet, with all the facilities." The two main doors have steps to enter the pub but further along is a door with disabled access. She said: "This is usually locked, for various reasons, but there is always someone here with a key."

At All Bar One there is a big step and it would be hard to get someone's attention, you would have to bang on the windows.

A spokesman said they were investing several million pounds into changes under the act, and the work in Twickenham was due within the next six weeks. "We believe that of equal importance is providing our staff with the wherewithal to provide appropriate service, this is particularly so since guests with mobility difficulties are but one category of the disabled. We are happy, for example, to read out the menu to the partially sighted or blind. Hence we have created our own staff training and awareness programme which focuses on how the Disability Discrimination Act affects our business and how our staff can provide for our disabled guests."

Puccinos, a caf in London Road, has a step to get in and another one to get to the toilets. Manager and franchise owner Ross Cook said: "Yes, we're aware of these problems and it's being looked into as we speak. As you can see, it's difficult outside here because a ramp would be in the way of the pavement, so I'm not sure what we'll do, but changes will of course be made."

The Mobile Phone Centre on Heath Road also has a step and manager Jeff Kotecha commented: "Yes, I know a bit about the act, and plans are being made.

"They're being put to the council and we're waiting to see what they say - and we're also waiting to hear from our head office as to exactly what the requirements are. I don't know what will be done because if you put a ramp out there people would trip over it."

So it seems people are aware something needs to be done, but still need to establish what and how. There also seems little appreciation of how beneficial the changes could be. People told me they would comply with the act because they have to, but many added: "We don't really get many people in wheelchairs, and if we do they're with someone who can help them."

Perhaps they'll be pleasantly surprised by the extra paying customers they might attract with a few simple changes.