By Anest EirugNewyddion S4C
December 8, 2023
Image courtesy of Cerys Davage
Image caption: Cerys Davege, second from the left, suffers from a form of muscular dystrophy
Accessibility in pubs and clubs is so poor that one disabled woman said she had never seen a wheelchair user when out at night.
Cerys Davege, 22, has a muscle-wasting condition that makes it difficult for her to climb stairs or use the toilet on different floors.
She said going out at night could be “difficult” for her, but that “most pubs and bars are completely inaccessible” for someone using a wheelchair.
Erin Williams, from Disabled Wales, said: “Things need to change.”
Dabage, who suffers from a form of muscular dystrophy, finds it difficult to stand for long periods of time.
She said: “I don’t think a lot of people realise that for a disabled person like me, a night out takes a lot of physical energy. I have limited energy throughout the day so a night out is very draining.”
Mr Davage, from Cardiff, does not use a wheelchair but said he might in the future.
“There are always some stairs to get into a club or a bar, there are always some stairs to go to the bathroom or to the second floor,” Dabage said.
“There are many people who cannot even climb the stairs. I have never seen a wheelchair user when I go out. This shows that the place is not ready and accessible enough to accommodate such people.”
The Disability Discrimination and Equality Act requires services to make “reasonable adjustments” to allow access, but they do not have to be fully accessible.
Image courtesy of Cerys Davage
Image caption: Cerys Davage, pictured left with a friend, criticised the accessibility of pubs and clubs.
More than 40% experienced the same issue when trying to get into a club or music venue.
Mr Dabage said having elevators and bouncers who were more sensitive to disability issues would make a “huge difference”.
Erin Williams, from Disability Wales, said: “It’s vital that facilities and businesses receive disability equality training so they know what barriers disabled people face and how they can remove them.”
There are misconceptions about the lives of disabled people, she said, adding: “There’s a belief that disabled people don’t go out after a certain time.”
“So it’s important that we make an effort to challenge those stereotypes.”
The Welsh Government announced it had set up a group to “remove or reduce the barriers that limit the lives of disabled people in Wales”.