Accessible holiday home and access champions announced winners at Blue Badge Access Awards

Venues were recently awarded for outstanding commitments to accessibility and inclusive designs at the Blue Badge Access Awards 2023.

The Blue Badge Access Awards (BBAA) aim to raise the profile of accessibility in the hospitality and leisure industry and beyond and to recognise those venues that are achieving the “Gold Standard”.

The awards took place on 26 October at London’s Great Scotland Yard Hotel.

Nominations flooded in ranging from an accessible recording studio, a chapel, distillery, and a dinosaur park. The eleven awards, from the best toilets and hotels, to the best spas and bars, were presented to venues and individuals that have excelled in providing exceptional accessibility, stylish, and imaginative design.

Winners were announced across several categories, including the Special Award for Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility, the Blue Badge Style Access Champion category, and more.

Sponsored by The Institute of Hospitality, the Above & Beyond Award was given to AbleStay, along with the Best Accessible Bathroom/Toilet, which was sponsored by Bespoke Hotels.

AbleStay is London’s first accessible holiday home accommodation, co-founded by Charles & Jo van Berckel, who picked up both awards.

Based on the needs of their son, Kit, every inch of detail has been considered to make for an easy and stress-free stay, including peninsular locations for toilets and height adjustable baths, profiling beds, ceiling hoists that connect the bedroom to the bathroom, a changing/shower trolley, a small kitchen with height-adjustable surfaces, and a fridge for medication.

The Best Venue in an Historic Building Award, sponsored by Historic England, was won by Blenheim Palace for its excellent accessibility scheme with an emphasis on highly trained staff.

It has not only provided training in visitor-facing roles but has offered it to all members of staff. This year including Tourette’s awareness training. They have their own Access Champions, sensory maps, access statements, and trained staff in BSL, with touch tours providing all visitors with an inclusive visit to Blenheim Palace.

The Blue Badge Style Access Champion category was won by Anna Neary at Legoland, who is passionate and proud to inspire the ever-evolving changes and improvements for accessibility.

Anna created inclusive projects and ideas such as championing Merlin’s Magic Wand and creating the content for the Sensory & Accessibility Guides and Flashcards. A dedicated Accessibility Experience Team, unique to Merlin, assists the entire guest journey starting pre-visit to post-visit feedback, and has interacted with over 5,000 families last season.

Sponsored by Ahead Awards, Best International Venue was won by Amilla Resort Maldives. It is part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative, an IncluCare-certified resort, and a member of the Conscious Travel Foundation.

They aim to make accessibility features feel like an integrated part of the resort. The team is undergoing training for guests with sensory challenges as well as mobility challenges to ensure that everyone can enjoy the paradise on earth that is the Maldives.

Charlie Lyons from Sesame Access Systems won the Special Award for Outstanding Achievement in Accessibility. Charlie invented the Sesame lift to help people in wheelchairs enter any building through the front door, especially Listed Buildings.

Over 200 Sesame lifts have now been installed worldwide, including at Sydney Opera House, 10 Downing Street, and the Bank of England. He died sadly in March this year, and the BBAA introduced this special award to celebrate his work for accessibility where he has revolutionised step-free access in a creative and versatile way.

The awards were recently featured on morning news talk show, Good Morning Britain.

Robin Sheppard, Co-Founder of the BBAA Awards and President of Bespoke Hotels, said: “We’re thrilled with the response to our 2023 Awards. After eight years of trying to persuade the hospitality industry to put “access” higher up their collective agenda I am delighted to say that tonight’s award ceremony is testament to the progress that has been made.

“We have witnessed a much wider acceptance of the need to do better. We had an embarrassment of riches in terms of nominations and some very worthy entries. Congratulations to all our winners and runners up this evening.”

Designability’s accessible pushchair for wheelchair users was recently announced the winner of The Baby Products Association’s 2023 Concept and Innovation Award at the International Nursery Fair in Harrogate.