Restaurants and pubs press release

Press release 17 September 2001

Guide dogs calls for equal access for all to restaurants and pubs

Imagine arriving at a pub or restaurant, looking forward to an evening out, only to be turned away at the door. The reason? You're a guide dog owner and your guide dog is not welcome.

This is the humiliating experience that many guide dog owners face all too often. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is tackling this issue in Access for All, this year's Guide Dog Week (1-8 October), urging all licensees and restaurateurs to open their doors to guide dog owners and their dogs.

The campaign has won the support of actor Kevin Whately, renowned for his role as Sergeant Lewis in the popular TV series 'Inspector Morse'. Kevin has recorded a freephone hotline message explaining to landlords and restaurateurs their legal obligations to welcome guide dogs. He also explains the special training guide dogs receive. The number is being printed on cards, which will be distributed to all guide dog owners.

Geraldine Peacock, Guide Dogs' Chief Executive says: "Guide Dog Week provides us with the opportunity to consider that what we take for granted, such as enjoying an evening out at a pub or restaurant, can't always be appreciated by visually impaired people. Too frequently, they are still turned away from restaurants and pubs, because staff and management are unaware that they are legally bound to allow guide dogs access. Some don't realise the important role that guide dogs play, acting as the 'eyes' of the visually impaired person."

Encouragingly, we do hear of many situations when guide dog owners and their dogs are made to feel welcome in restaurants and pubs and are given first class customer service, but we would like this situation to extend to all venues across the country.

Under Part Three of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), it is unlawful for establishments serving food and drink to refuse to serve disabled customers or to offer them a lower standard of service. They must also make 'reasonable' adjustments to their services and procedures to ensure that they do not discriminate against disabled people. This means waiving the 'no dogs' rule for people with guide dogs and other assistance dogs.

The Institute of Environmental Health Officers supports guide dog owners by emphasising that the guide dogs, because of the high level of training they receive, are not a risk to hygiene in licensed premises.

Guide dog owner Darren Pridmore and his dog Duke receive the red carpet treatment from their local pub in Nuneaton. Others, however, have been less fortunate. Jenny Hollingworth from Coventry was recently asked to leave a well-known fast food chain because of her guide dog. After further debate with the manager, Jenny was forced to leave the premises, feeling humiliated and angry.

Jenny says: "Being turned away was deeply upsetting for me. Guide dogs are so well trained and behaved that they would never cause any disruption and they are also very clean, so should not cause any offence to anyone."

During Guide Dog Week, the organisation will be launching a web page offering practical advice to pubs and restaurants on how to welcome guide dog owners and offer them first class service. It is also producing stickers with a guide dog welcome message, which are available free of charge on 0118 983 8228.

Also coinciding with Access for All is the publication of "Bang You're Dead" by Tom Pey, the compelling story of this financial whiz-kid who suddenly and tragically lost his sight as a result of a childhood accident. (Published by Wiley October 2001, £16.99 HbK)