2023 Blue Badge Access Awards for Design Led Accessibility include a £ 20K prize fund
Back in 2016 , two people met over afternoon tea and found they had the same ambition - that disabled people should enjoy life and be treated as VIPs or at least equal to the general population , whatever their disability . So , the Blue Badge Access Awards were created by amalgamating two separate award schemes from Robin Sheppard , President of Bespoke Hotels and Fiona Jarvis , CEO of Blue Badge Style . Both believe that the carrot of recognition rather than the stick of regulation will encourage greater inclusion .
The Blue Badge Access Awards celebrate exceptional venues , people and organisations that have thoughtful , design-led approaches to accessibility . They reward those who have gone above and beyond in their mission to achieve access for all . Established in the U . K ., it is a global initiative rewarding innovative , stylish , and inclusive design .
The case for inclusion is well documented . It is estimated that in the U . K . the disposable income for disabled people is £ 274Bn and globally $ 13TR . In the U . K . alone , pubs and restaurants lose £ 163m per month by not including disabled people and their friends and family . Globally , disability touches 73 % of consumers . U . K . tourism by disabled people is £ 15Bn with an average stay a third longer and a loyalty factor of 75 %. Despite this , companies still rely on meeting regulations rather than creating exceptional experiences and customer delight . The awards aim to change this !
Our mission is to advocate inclusivity in the hospitality sector and beyond by making experiences more joyful for both disabled and
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