App helps the disabled
SITE WILL PROVIDE RATINGS FOR ACCESSIBILITY
AN app has been launched to improve access for disabled people to venues across the UK.
Mark Esho, a former De Montfort University student, helped develop Access Rating, which he described as a cross between Trustpilot and TripAdvisor.
Believed to be the first app of its kind, Access Rating features 240,000 bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels and is designed to help disabled people determine how accessible venues are before they visit.
Mark, a wheelchair user, said: “Whenever I am invited to a bar or restaurant I’ve not been to before, the first thing I ask is whether it is accessible for me.
“I know a lot of people who are embarrassed to ask that question and just avoid going altogether.
“We want to make disabled people’s’ lives a lot easier by giving them a voice.
“We want to save them the time and embarrassment and ultimately, reduce their access anxiety.”
Mark is working with Rich Copson, the founder and director of Access Rating, and Jignesh Vaidya, a professional disability access auditor.
“We have first-hand experience of what it is like to go to a venue that is not suitable for people in wheelchairs, so we know what a difference this will make,” Mark said.
Users are asked to score venues out of five for accessibility and there is an option to write a detailed review and submit photos. The app also has a thumbs up/thumbs down feature.
“There are 1.2 million wheelchair users in the UK, not to mention elderly people with mobility issues and parents with pushchairs,” said Mark. “Access Rating will hopefully benefit a lot of people and we also hope it will encourage venues to become more access friendly.”
Access Rating is available to download free on iOS and Android.