Accessible Accommodation

By Sarah Darby

The Tourism For All National Accessible Accommodation Standard was agreed in 1993, and revised in 2002. The standard comprises three differing categories of access from a wheelchair users travelling independently to someone with limited mobility.

Any accommodation displaying special symbols will have been inspected by the National Tourist Board. Full details of these criteria are available from your Regional Tourist Board.

RADAR, the disability charity that co-ordinates the Radar key system for disabled toilets, also hosts many other services for the disabled.

One of these is their holiday accommodation guide: Holidays in Britain & Ireland - A guide for Disabled People. This is updated and published every year, and the 2003 edition is currently available from them at £8.00 on 020 7250 3222. Alternately, GUCH has access to a copy and can offer some information via the helpline.

The guide contains information on B&Bs, hotels, and self-catering accommodation at all levels of accessibility. It also provides nationwide details of respite and nursing care centres, retreats, and accessible adventure holidays. It includes a list which contains the Shopmobility telephone numbers for all UK towns in which free scooters can be hired, to increase your mobility while away from home.

For those who wish to venture further afield, the guide lists organisations who specialise in helping disabled people fulfil ambitions and undertake journeys that are difficulty for them. For example there is a charity that has specially adapted aeroplanes with oxygen to every seat/bed, to take people with serious health needs away for a break (The Across Trust, 020 8783 1355 or www.across.org).

Other GUCH members have found the following publications useful to: Bed & Breakfast Nationwide 2003 - this has a section of special disabled facilities, an can be ordered on 01255 831235

Printed in GUCH News - Issue 37, Summer 2003