Disabled Access Day
10-12 March 2017
Venue Guide
We’re excited that you’re joining us for Disabled Access Day!
Whether you’ve been with us from day one or are completely new to #AccessDay, we’ve got all the tips and information you’ll need inside this Venue Guide. Keep it safe as you prepare for March 10th-12th, and most importantly, have fun!
What is Disabled Access Day?
Last year over 10,000 people and more than 1,000 venues and places came together to celebrate, chat about and enjoy the visitor experience.
We put this guide together because we wanted to share our top tips for putting on a Disabled Access Day event or an open day. It might seem daunting taking part, but our best advice is to relax, take stock of your accessibility and enjoy the day!
P.S. Don’t forget to tell us what you’re doing, and remember to share your #AccessDaypictures with us!
“Disabled Access Day is a movement that grew out of a simple conversation in Edinburgh and spread throughout Scotland and into communities beyond. I can’t explain how that felt but I do know that so many disabled people joined in with the spirit of the day.
It’s all about visiting somewhere new, whether that’s a cinema, coffee shop, museum or anywhere else. It’s about creating opportunities for disabled people to try something new in an atmosphere of cooperation, safety and fun and we hope that many people across the UK will join us and share their experiences.”
Paul Ralph, Founder of Disabled Access Day
Who’s taking part?
If one thing’s for sure, it’s that you’re not alone! You’ll be taking part in a celebration that will be happening up and down the UK and beyond. So far there are museums big and small, castles, farms, art galleries, shops, cinemas, tourist attractions and more getting ready to welcome disabled people, their families and friends over March 10th-12th this year. Get some inspiration on the Disabled Access Day website event search!
Adding & editing events
Disabled Access Day is powered by Euan’s Guide which means all of your events will be listed on the award-winning disabled access review website. People can still search for your event on the Disabled Access Day website, and you can edit the information shown by logging into Euan’s Guide and updating your listing.
Helpful resources
As well as the information in this guide, there are also plenty of blogs and top tips on our website, where you can find out more about disabled access, marketing your events and enjoying Disabled Access Day.
P.S. Keep a look out for our newsletter too! It’s got even more advice for making the most of your #AccessDay experience.
Your checklist
There really isn’t long to go now! To help avoid last minute preparations, we’ve put together this checklist with things to consider before the day.
- Check your information
Get off to a good start and avoid confusion by making sure all your event information is up to date. Check the times are correct and that it is clear to visitors where they need to go and what they need to do to take part.
- Market your event
Include Disabled Access Day in your promotional materials, whether it be a programme of events or a newsletter to your regular customers. Contact local press to let them know about your event, and don’t forget to use social media to build excitement (#YouAndSomewhereNew and #AccessDay). You could even invite your local MP or elected representative to join in the celebrations!
- Refresh staff and volunteer knowledge
For things to run smoothly, it’s essential that everybody knows what’s going on. Make sure your staff or volunteers are ready to give a warm welcome and are confident about using portable ramps, hearing loops or any other equipment that you have. If you have a key for your accessible toilet, let everybody know where it is!
- Test equipment
Are doorbells, hearing loops and toilet locks working? Are videos displaying their captions? Does your lift sound okay? Are your automatic doors having an off day? It might seem like a lot of questions, but these are all important things to check in advance!
- Prepare extra alternative formats
If you have printed materials such as gallery guides or maps, it’s a good idea to print off extra alternative formats before Disabled Access Day. Large-print or easy read documents may be required at any time, but it would be unlucky for the printer to break down between March 10th-12th!
- Check your signage
Can people easily find their way around your venue without stopping to ask for directions? If not, it might be a good idea to print some extra signs before the day. Large print signs with text and an image are the most helpful!
- Inspect your accessible toilets
The best accessible toilets are large and free from clutter, so check yours for any high chairs or oversized bins that have made their way into this space. These should be removed and the toilet inspected for any wobbly handrails or seats. Check the emergency cord is working and reaches all the way to the floor too; you could always add a Euan’s Guide Red Cord Card!
- Prepare for bad weather
This is especially important if your event is outdoors, but if not it’s still a good idea to have anti-slip mats ready and maybe a spare towel for any assistance dogs who get caught in the rain! Don’t forget that wet floor signs can be problematic for some visually impaired people, or for wheelchair users who find them blocking their path.
- Be assistance dog ready
Water bowls, quiet spaces and knowledge of local parks all come in handy when an assistance dog visits your venue.
- Speak to other venues taking part
If you know anywhere local that is taking part on Disabled Access Day, have a chat and find out what they’re doing beforehand. It’s nice to be able to make recommendations to visitors as they leave about where to go next!
On the day
We hope you have the best Disabled Access Day yet, and if it’s your first time, here are a few tips to ensure things run smoothly on the day:
Put up your decorations early, or the night before! You’ll find a few things you can use in this pack including balloons and a banner to let people know you’re holding an #AccessDay event.
Don’t forget that one of the best ways to be accessible is to offer a warm and friendly welcome. If you can’t have staff by the entrance, do put a welcoming sign up to invite people inside.
If you can, have a staff member or volunteer photographing the event and sharing (with permission) photos on social media using #YouAndSomewhereNew and #AccessDay.
Don’t panic if something goes wrong. Last year one venue had a broken lift on the day, but they didn’t let it phase them. The activity was moved downstairs and an enjoyable day was had by all! Just be sure to keep people informed of any developments.
Regularly check your accessible toilets to make sure they are clean and in working order.
Don’t forget to thank each of your visitors for joining in. Remember, this could be the first Disabled Access Day for many people.
Pay attention to what visitors enjoy the most. This could be something that you might add into your regular programme of events in the future!
Relax and enjoy the day!
Social Media Guide
Social media is one of the best ways to build excitement and show the world what you’re doing! Last year, Disabled Access Day was trending on Twitter, and we’d like you to be a part of that again in 2017.
P.S. Don’t forget to say that you are taking part on our Facebook event!
Hashtag - #AccessDay or #YouandSomewhereNew
Twitter –
Facebook –
Instagram –
What can you share?
Video is growing in popularity across all social media platforms, and footage is an effective way to promote future events at your venue. Take short video clips throughout the day using smartphones or video cameras to document your #AccessDayjourney! You don’t have to be a professional cameraperson to do this as it is often the real, live footage that is most popular on social media – even if it is a bit shaky!
Pictures are great for tagging people and generating interest in your event. Don’t forget to tag us too! If you have a photo booth or props at your event, encourage people to use our hashtags and post the images on social media. P.S. just make sure you ask permission before using your visitors’ photos or images of people!
People like stories about people, so you could always share some behind the scenes footage, photos and stories too! This can be really helpful for other venues looking to take part in the future.
What next?
The days after Disabled Access Day are a good time to reflect. Report on what worked well and what didn’t, and ask your staff how they found the day. You might find that something worked surprisingly well, and could be organised again throughout the year!
Here are some other things to do after Disabled Access Day:
Keep adding events to your Euan’s Guide listing.
Encourage visitors to review your venue, and respond to any reviews that are left on Euan’s Guide.
Drop us an email to let us know how your #AccessDay went – we might be in touch to find out more!
Send us any photographs or video footage from your event that we may use when promoting the next Disabled Access Day.
Alternative Formats
Please visit the Disabled Access Day website for information in alternative formats.
Thank you
A massive thank you to our partners and supporters in 2017:
Barclays
Gatwick Airport
Quest 88
Euan’s Guide
Phone+44 (0)131 510 5106
Postc/o Euan’s Guide, 29 Constitution Street, Edinburgh, EH6 7BS, UK
Website - Visit us at
Twitter – Follow us on
Facebook – Like us at
Disabled Access Day is powered by Euan’s Guide, the disabled access review website.
Euan’s Guide is a charity registered in Scotland (SC045492)