Listed buildings, olde worlde hotels etc

[Donna]

Thanks for replying,  The actual building is The Guildhall, market place, Salisbury Wilts. forum readers can read about the Guildhall, and see the picture  by tapping in "the Guildhall Salisbury Wilts, (sorry cant remember the web address) I was was in last thursdays Salisbury Journal, "Mum to sue court over poor wheelchair access" but my main concerns were of the HSE, I know that the local fire Authority is dealing with it, will they be more thourough than the HSE? the HSE are not interested in "corridors with obstacles" "poor lighting" the use of a wheelchair stannah, too poorly lit to see anything". but I was sure that this is health and safety in the workplace domain, am I correct in thinking that? I am aware of locking the disabled entry/exit door is the fire dept, but the Guildhall has been doing this for years, how come theyve been allowed? does anyone know the correct evacuation proceedures, of disabled/wheelchaired persons, of a place with no other escape than stairs? I think the building is 1700? its a lovely building, but not for the disabled. Oh and the tenants of the building apart for wedding hire are Her Majestys Court Services, yes full of Lawyers, The Magistrates Court! how ironic.

[kurnal]

Donna
It should not have to be this way but one of the best ways of making those responsible for buildings sit up and take notice is to form a local access pressure group. You can then visit premises in your area, draw up lists of good and bad and a lot of your findings would be very newsworthy.
Are there any existing access groups in your area? The fire Authority may assist by talking to the access groups and advising them on what to look for in terms of management and facilities to ensure the safety of people with special needs - then whilst surveying access they can also look at fire and general safety.

Have you thought of writing  to the local Fire Authority? And to the access officer of the local council- although they will probably not have very much knowledge about emergency plans and facilities.

[John Webb]

Hertfordshire has 'Hertfordshire Action on Disability' which is an independent body which gives advice and carries out access audits on buildings to show how the requirements of the DDA legislation can be met. I am sure that similar bodies exist in most other counties and I suggest that if you can find the equivilent association in your county they may be a good group to assist with the particular access problems of this building.

Hopefully the local fire authority will be more active - HSE are very stretched at present due to cutbacks and have much wider areas of concern for safety than just fire.

[Donna]

Thankyou both the above, I have had a lot of support on this one, and I am intending to fight them all the way, in the meantime I an setting up a local independant disability access group myself, (with the publicity of the local press) mostly to bring awareness to the smaller businesses that are not disabled compliant, but this project is to award the "good shops,pubs etc" by honouring them with a "Golden star Merit award" for being totally disabled accessible, and for welcoming our custom. This is to hopefully attack the discrimination in a positive way, rather than shout the odds all the time, but nevertheless, the Salisbury Guildhall Court access was none other than disgracefull and dangerous.  John, I will look up the link you gave me, cheers, Donna