This is continuation of yesterday’s article ”The Best Inclusive Autumn Food Festivals“. The festival recommendations came from the an article in the Observer and here at OpenBritain we’ve undertaken research to try to make them inclusive for all.

As I continued to research based on the Observer’s Article I found myself becoming more and more frustrated due to the lack of information for people with disabilities. The norm is that event organisers only provide information for wheelchair users and those with mobility impairments, the needs of people with other disabilities such as sensory impairments or hidden disabilities are generally ignored or maybe it’s because they are too complicated to be addressed.

Of the seventeen festivals listed in the Observer’s article only 4 of them actually give any information for people with disabilities and in most cases I had to dig around to find that. Some of the events take place at multiple venues, most notably city wide festivals such as the ones in Nottingham, York and Manchester, therefore maybe the reason or excuse for not providing information is that the organisers do not have the resources to collect the data required. However, when considering that many of these events are sponsored by or in collaboration with local councils and tourist information boards surely they have a duty to be inclusive and provide information for everyone.

Although the events from the Observer article don’t have any information for people with disabilities, a friend sent me a link to the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival (19th & 20th September) who have provided quite a lot of access information for people with disabilities. I also wrote an article on Monday regarding the Coastal Currents Arts Festival in Hastings so it would seem that at least in East Sussex event organisers are becoming more inclusive.

Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival Accessibility Information

We aim for this festival to be inclusive and accessible to a wide range of people and abilities, so an access audit of the site has been carried out by a local access auditing organisation.  This has helped inform the festival plans and layout.  Wheelchair and buggy access has been considered in the entertainments marquee on the beach – there will be hard wooden flooring laid throughout the marquee.  Woven coconut matting will lead up to the marquee entrance from the concrete roadway adjacent.

The main festival site, where the food stalls are located, is in the Stade Coach and Lorry Park.  Cobblestones make the site slightly uneven, so rubber mats will be laid on areas that have been identified as presenting the most difficulty.  There are no steps on the site, except for a high kerb at the main entrance, where a ramp will be placed.  In the Wine Tasting Marquee and English Wine Tent, carpet will be laid over the car park surface.  This year the main site is larger and there will more room around the stalls to help prevent overcrowding and improve accessibility.

The Old Town

George Street is pedestrianised but the rest of the Old Town has narrow and uneven paving.  The seafront has high kerbs but there are some pedestrian crossings with tactile paving.

Parking / Drop off point

A designated drop-off area for disabled persons (which will be signed) will be located at the Western end of the Stade Coach and Lorry Park, opposite the Tourist Information Centre.

Rock-a-Nore Car Park

Rock-a-Nore is a rough surface car park, located at the end of Rock-a-Nore Road on the beach at the Eastern end of Hastings seafront, in the Old Town.  Disabled parking can be found in the area of the Motorboat and Yacht Club.
Number of disabled parking spaces – 14
Height restriction: 2.2 metres (7′ 2″)

Pelham Place Car Park

Located on the A259 on Hastings sea front between the Pier and the Old Town, opposite St Mary in the Castle.
Number of disabled parking spaces – 18
Height restriction: 2.2 metres (7′ 2″)

The Bourne Car Park

Located on the A259 in Hastings Old Town, next to the Stables Theatre, with pedestrian access from the car park into the High Street.
Number of disabled parking spaces – 2
Height restriction: 2.2 metres (7′ 2″)

Toilets

There are three public toilet blocks with disabled access on the seafront:

 
• Pelham Car Park – on the A259 on the seafront between the Pier and the Old Town, opposite St Mary in the Castle

 

• The Stade Coach Park – off the A259, the key can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre which is next door

 

• Rock-a-Nore at the end of Rock-a-Nore Road on the beach at the Eastern end of Hastings seafront

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