The DRC says it is also concerned that other Arcadia stores in
the country may be breaking the law – such as Top Shop, Top
Man, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Burton and Evans –
after Arcadia admitted that 40% of its stores are not physically
accessible to disabled people.
The DRC is supporting Joanne Holland, a 39-year old wheelchair
user from Derbyshire, who is taking the clothing giant to court
after not being able to shop for presents in her local Burton store
because of a flight of steps. The store offered to bring goods to
Joanne at the shop entrance which she found unacceptable.
The Arcadia Group is the second retailer to be taken to court
following new duties introduced in 2004 under the Disability
Discrimination Act (DDA).
Last year the DRC supported an action against Debenhams, brought
by another wheelchair-user, Greg Jackson, who could not access a
section of the retailer's menswear department because it could only
be reached by a set of steps. That case is ongoing.
The action against Arcadia is being taken under Part 3 of the
DDA which requires shops and other businesses which provide
services to the public, to take reasonable steps to remove physical
barriers which make it unreasonably difficult for disabled people
to receive a fair service.
The Arcadia Group reported to the DRC that in February 2005 it
had audited 50% of its 2,500 stores in the UK for access. Of these,
40% were physically inaccessible to disabled people.
Bert Massie, Chairman of the DRC said: “One of the UK’s largest
clothing retailers should be ahead of the game in making its shops
user-friendly. As it is, nearly half of Arcadia’s stores are
providing a second class service to disabled people.”
Ms Holland said: “It’s ludicrous that I can't shop with the same
freedom as a non-disabled person because there’s no alternative to
a flight of stairs. Having goods that I can't see to choose from
brought down to me is not a reasonable alternative. In fact it's a
joke. It also puts pressure on me to buy. Such demeaning treatment
has forced me to take legal action."
Mr Massie continued: “Arcadia should be doing much more for
their disabled customers. Offering to bring goods out to Ms Holland
might be acceptable for a small business with limited resources,
but for Arcadia to be operating such practices is
unacceptable."
He said the action will be crucial in spelling out what steps
large retailers need to take to meet their legal duties.
Website Accessibility Conference 2006
A UK national conference on best-practice public sector website
accessibility takes place on 13th June in Edinburgh, organised by
Parallel 56, User Vision and OUT-LAW.
Event
details at Parallel 56's website
