Ripon, with recent investments in retail and hospitality and upcoming £720,000 road improvements, can look forward to an economic boost from the purple pound.
An estimated £274 billion per annum of disposable income belonging to disabled people in the UK is available for spending on items and experiences that can improve their health and wellbeing.
However, lack of joined up thinking on accessibility issues means that city and town centres are missing out on their share of the purple pound pie.
The message from Jeremy Dunford at Monday night’s launch of Ripon Disability Forum’s access ambassadors initiative was clear.
He told a meeting hosted by the Ripon Inn, one of the first ambassadors in a growing group of retail, leisure and hospitality businesses being encouraged to highlight and signpost their accessibility credentials:
“It has already been proven in cities such as Chester, where access is high up the agenda, that the locations with comprehensive access strategy are reaping the reward of greater footfall and increased money through the tills.”
Mr Dunford, who is a trustee of the forum, added:
“The beauty of it, is that publicising accessibility credentials to local, national and even international audiences through the Access Card scheme and AccessAble comes free of charge and accessibility-friendly businesses can use this as a means of raising awareness and opening up a huge new potential customer base,”
He added:
“If you also included the grey pound spending power of elderly people and young families with prams and pushchairs, there are two further groups seeking locations to visit where access considerations come high on the list.
“So dropped kerbs, parking, accessible toilet facilities, shops, hotels and guest houses with level access, quiet spaces for children and adults with autism and provision for people with vision and hearing impairment, all add to the desirability of a destination.
“By publicising these access assets on line it means that people can plan in advance for the places that they want to go to.”
Lilla Bathurst, manager of Ripon Business Improvement District, said:
“The potential for a city of Ripon’s size to become a leading UK location for access, is there for all to see and we will be encouraging our members to become access ambassadors.
“This combined with North Yorkshire Council’s forthcoming programme of resurfacing of Market Place East and West, along with Kirkgate and Duck Hill, adds to the accessibility of Ripon.
“There is the opportunity, through the consultation process ahead of these works, for RDF to request that wheelchair-friendly dropped kerbs and safety features such as new road markings, are built into the design.”
Image: Key players are pictured at the launch of Ripon Disability Forum’s Access Ambassadors initiative Hosted by Ripon Inn
