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The De Havilland Model Railway Society held their annual exhibition today (29th April) at a Methodist church in Welwyn Garden City. But they were limited to the ground floor by the church authorities after a threat was made to sue the church under the Disability Discrimination Act.
The Society had mentioned in adverts and magazine items that "disabled visitors will only have access to the ground floor, so that about 40 per cent of the exhibition will not be accessible to people unable to manage stairs.". A concessionary entry fee for those limited to the ground floor was promised.
It seems that someone from Kent issued the threat to sue the church too late for the matter to be resolved prior to today's exhibition. The local church authorities asked the central Methodist authorities for advice; as a result of which the decision was taken to ban upstairs to all the public. The consequence was that the Society had to reorganize the whole exhibition, and a number of layouts were not on view. The Society also decided to charge a lower entrance fee to all visitors, and so have lost out on income themselves.
I was unable to speak to the Minister at the church to find out more information about any access audit they had already carried out. There were facilities, e.g ramp access and toilets, for wheel-chair users, so clearly they had already made some provision for the disabled.
What a shame that today's 'sue it' society leads to interference in the innocent pleasures of many and creates bad publicity for those who do need help.
John Webb
The Society had mentioned in adverts and magazine items that "disabled visitors will only have access to the ground floor, so that about 40 per cent of the exhibition will not be accessible to people unable to manage stairs.". A concessionary entry fee for those limited to the ground floor was promised.
It seems that someone from Kent issued the threat to sue the church too late for the matter to be resolved prior to today's exhibition. The local church authorities asked the central Methodist authorities for advice; as a result of which the decision was taken to ban upstairs to all the public. The consequence was that the Society had to reorganize the whole exhibition, and a number of layouts were not on view. The Society also decided to charge a lower entrance fee to all visitors, and so have lost out on income themselves.
I was unable to speak to the Minister at the church to find out more information about any access audit they had already carried out. There were facilities, e.g ramp access and toilets, for wheel-chair users, so clearly they had already made some provision for the disabled.
What a shame that today's 'sue it' society leads to interference in the innocent pleasures of many and creates bad publicity for those who do need help.
John Webb