Cotswold man denied access to his local pub feels like 'second class citizen'
A Cotswold man, who has been a wheelchair-user for nearly 40 years since a life-changing motorbike accident, says he feels like a 'second class citizen' because he can't access his local pub. Mark Adams, 57, has been longing to be able to go to his village pub to have a pint and have a meal with his family and friends yet there is no disabled access or facilities to accommodate him.
Recently he found out new management were taking over at his local and making changes to the venue, and he hoped the changes would include making the pub wheelchair accessible. However he was saddened and disappointed to find out little is being done to install disabled access and facilities.
Mark has lived in Rissington near Cheltenham for 29 years. He was involved in motorbike accident when he was 17-years-old when, on a cold and foggy night, the front wheel of the motorbike hit a drain. He was thrown into the air, landed on a Cotswold stone wall and his back was broken. He says he could not feel his legs from that moment on.
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Mark and his wife Sally know they have to think ahead when making plans to go out to dinner or visit a pub. Over the years Mark has hoped to be able to visit The Lamb Inn in Rissington, however there has been no provision made for wheelchair users to be able to access and visit the pub.
Mark said: "I have been a full-time wheelchair user since 1984 when I had the motorbike accident. I was travelling back from Lower Swell when the front wheel went into a drain and I hit a Cotswold stone wall and broke my back.
"Right then, I could not feel my legs and I am paralysed from the chest down, however I am able to propel myself in my wheelchair to get around. Being in a wheelchair, my wife and I have to plan ahead to go to places.
"We had friends come down and they suggested to go to The Lamb Inn for something to eat, and we had to say we are unable to go there as I can not go in with my wheelchair. It was disappointing to not be able to make plans to go.
"I heard there were new managers going into The Lamb Inn and I contacted the brewery to ask if they were going to put ramps in for wheelchair users and disabled, and I was told they could not do anything as the pub is a Grade II-listed building.
"The new managers posted flyers through the door inviting the community locals to visit the pub before the grand opening, so I contacted the manager to ask if the whole community were invited and explained The Lamb Inn is my local and would I be able to go.
"The manager said to me he was sorry there had not been any changes made to allow disabled access however they had a wheelchair ramp made which was waiting to be signed off by the brewery. However their hands were tied as the only changes which were being done to the pub were cosmetic refurbishment.
"I would like to say to the brewery to consider the fact there may be others who are disabled who would like to go to The Lamb Inn. They have to think of the whole community and not only the able bodied.
"It is frustrating and disappointing. It makes you feel as if you are a second class citizen and not welcomed."
The management of The New Inn have been in talks with the brewery to look into if disabled access could be installed at the pub. However there are problems with carrying this out as the building is Grade II-listed.
Regarding no measures being implemented for disabled access in The Lamb Inn, Manager Elliot Cree said: "Unfortunately this was not our decision. As tenants under Brakspear, it is down to them what happens with the building as it is not legally ours. We have asked Brakspear about this and were told its due to the building being a Grade II-listed building. We are not experts in this area of course so left it with them.
"We unfortunately are not a part of the decisions made for the building. We can request but ultimately everything is up to Brakspear."
When asked why the wheelchair using and disabled community are not being considered with the pub renovations, Mr Cree said: "We would ask the same, but have been assured they were considered but ultimately it is due to the building being listed. We have not made our own investigation of this and since we are not builders we really can't speak on this.
"I would like to note that we have reached out to Mark ourselves and have set a time with him to come down on Monday and let us know if there is anything we as tenants can do to help support this. Myself and my wife are determined to find a solution for our all locals to be included. Hopefully working together with Mark, we can make something happen as a community."
Regarding no measures being implemented for disabled access in The Lamb Inn, property director Tony Lewis from the brewery giant Brakspear, said: "The pub is a listed building and as such we are simply undertaking a decorative refurbishment without any structural alterations.
"Unfortunately, due to the physical constraints of the historic building there isn’t space to modify either of the toilets to meet any accessible space requirements.
"As a matter of course we have considered access for wheelchair users and the disabled community. In addition to the constraints mentioned above, the pub is also set below the footpath. The steps down to the pub are not of a sufficient space for suitable ramped access."