Stay with me on this one, and yes it’s another moan, but hey if someone doesn’t have a go, then nothing will ever change and don’t forget it has been less than 100 years that women have had the right to vote.

More wheelchair discrimination

I had a cracking night at Bar Ten in Worthing on Saturday night. I was out with friends for a 30th Birthday party and had a pass from her indoors; it was almost a perfect night, so what’s the problem you may ask?

Here’s the problem, if I had been on my own I would not have been able to get in the Bar Ten, Worthing to carry on the festivities after a meal at Toto’s (a Spanish Restaurant).

Bloke in wheelchair needs rent a crowd

So why is it the normal able-bodied world perceives that disabled people have to go everywhere with ‘rent-a-crowd’ to enjoy themselves?

I’ll tell you why, it’s because businesses are so blinkered when it comes to disability. With regards Ten, it goes without saying the venue cannot seem to recognise that people in wheelchairs are capable of drinking on their own as well.

So why can I not get into Ten on my own?

a) There is no wheelchair ramp
b) The bouncers refuse to assist as they are not covered by insurance

Now, I have to be careful of what I say next, but aren’t pub doorman not supposed to be hard men? Well perhaps they were 10 years ago but give me a break. In fact since when did pub doormen go PC? Can anyone let me know?

I cannot imagine The Guv’nor Lenny McLean (a proper hard man, not an impostor) not helping a bloke in a wheelchair – what a joke!

To be fair though it is not the fault of a pub doorman (used to be hard men) that red tape prevents them from helping someone into Ten, no this is the fault of the following:

a) The owners of Ten, who it would seem do not want the patronage of wheelchair users
b) The sad world of political correctness

Your name’s not down,
you’re not coming in wheelchair user!

A very likely scenario 1

I plan to meet friends in Worthing town centre; I get a taxi into town to meet-up, only to find that I cannot get into the pub and my phone is out of charge. A counter argument could be to say why would your friends go to a pub that you cannot get into? A fair question one could say. Fact of the matter is this: unless a pub is sitting on the summit of Mount Everest, why should I not be able to get in it?

A very likely scenario 2

Let’s say that I am in town with a mate and I get distracted on my way to Ten because I bumped into an old friend and we have a quick catch-up. On arrival at Bar Ten I would not be able to get into the establishment because  there is no ramp and the ‘PC’ pub doormen will not lift the man in the wheelchair because they are not insured – what utter rubbish!

I would like to know the answer to the following: Why am I and other independent wheelchair users discriminated against?

Raking it in

Over the years the entertainment venue that is now Ten has undergone a number of changes. From Cloisters, to The Church and now Ten.

I want you to think of all the money that has been spent on refurbishing the place in the last 19 years. Do you not think a ramp and a disabled toilet could of been sorted in this time? We are not talking hundreds of thousands of pounds here for the two simple additions to this building. In fact given the money that has been spent on the venue, the cost of these two simple facilities would be neglible.

Is it the owners The Chapman Group just don’t care about wheelchair users? Perhaps a representative of the organisation would like to enlighten us all.

Ultimately wheelchair users do not want to be lifted into any establishment. Wheelchair users would like to be able to get into a pub on their own accord and spend their money at the bar without having to be belittled by asking for assistance.

Disability Discrimination Act 2005 complaint

I am now going to test the DDA legislation introduced in 2005 to back my discrimination claim. Let’s see how well the law will back me up. I’ll be honest, I won’t hold my breath, I am sure there will plenty of loopholes the owners and their solicitors will be using to worm their way out of the simple fact that Ten in Worthing discriminates against wheelchair users.