Just because Daleks can do stairs…

Our visit to the new Entertainer Toy Shop in Truro City Centre was not very entertaining.

And we will not be returning.

It only opened recently and it didn’t cross my mind to call ahead and ask if we could shop like everyone else?

Surely we are “everyone else?”

The store supervisor was apologetic and said that they had wanted to put in a lift but that Cornwall Council had refused permission as it is a listed building.

Well, we would hate for the building to feel sad, wouldn’t we?

I don’t usually take photos of my son feeling sad but, on this occasion, we want everyone to know the reality of childhood when you are disabled by facilities.

Because he was just a child visiting a toy shop.

But the Power Ranger toys were upstairs, along with most of the toys a child of 10 would be interested in.

It is a new shop. It only just opened. It didn’t cross my mind that access would be an issue.

A staff member kindly brought a few toys down for him to see and I let him choose one without even asking the price. He was hurting enough.

£19 ended up feeling like a small price to give him a little joy!

The staff member gave him a free Power Rangers bag to put his new toy in.

But he didn’t really want a free bag.

He wanted to shop freely.

 

This isn’t written to shame anyone.

It isn’t even a written to complain.

It is just showing the reality faced by many.

A lack of accessible toilets isn’t the only difficulty.

*** Update 18th May 2017 ***

Cornwall Council has stated that The Entertainer NEVER applied to install a customer lift.

Many have contacted me sharing their own experience of visiting this store and it saddens me that The Entertainer did not consider the needs of disabled people.

*** Update April 2018 ***

After falsely blaming Cornwall Council, The Entertainer said that it had not been possible to install a lift due to “low ceiling height”. As lifts can be put in all sorts of buildings, with many types of lift available, we felt certain that this was another excuse.

Adam instructed a solicitor to act on his behalf.

Earlier this month court papers were served. We are hopeful that The Entertainer will rethink their actions and not force us to take it all the way to court.

However, if it becomes necessary, we will.

Because if we do nothing, more people will have the same experience.

We must all take action to ensure that service providers meet the Equality Act.

 

Legal action did become necessary. Please check Taking On The Entertainer for that story.

 

 

 

 

 

Published by Ordinary Hopes

Cape-less Crusader, changing the world one toilet at a time.

74 thoughts on “Just because Daleks can do stairs…”

    1. There was a lovely cake shop in Truro, called The Baking Bird, which had a big step. The council wouldn’t let them have even a temporary ramp as it fronted a road. But they did make them install the hand dryer in the toilet for the height of a wheelchair user.

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    2. Interestingly, Cathedrals aren’t listed. No CofE property is Its covered under what are known as Faculty’s’

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  4. Ugh! Just makes me so mad. If we had visted with my brother who loves to buy toys to have them lined up in his bedroom and never touched again… He would more then likely of had a meltdown, screamed the place down and more then likely atract so unwanted attention as if he wanted a toy and we were buying it for him… Nope it would of been because he uses a wheelchair he would not of been able to see all the toys that someone who could walk can. This isn’t fair and I’m so sorry Adam wasn’t able to get up to see the power rangers toys.. A staff member choosing some toys to bring down is just not on. If a grand house (which is likely to be listed) can get a lift put in (two in fact) then surely a toy shop could have something!

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    2. Absolutely. I am sure many families are going to have traumatic experiences in there because of this.

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  5. Unfortunately that’s Cornwall Council for you. They have absolutely no idea. You only have to look at the roads around Truro to see that.

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  7. That’s terrible no lift inside a new shop like that! We have yet to visit The Entertainer yet but with a pram as well we won’t be able to go upstairs either. As for Cornwall Coucil!! What a joke! I travel by the threemilestone bus gate twice a day and have yet to see a bus use it. What a waste of money!!

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  8. Have you put this to cornwall council to ask why planning permission for a lift was refused and why listed building takes property over accessibility requirements and equality law? May be worth a try!

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    1. I will be. It took a lot of effort to get a response from them when we couldn’t access the toilet at County Hall and then be got stuck in it, so I son’t hold out much hope.

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      1. Hi…Steve Paget from diaAbility Cornwall. We have a meeting to discuss this very issue. The Council know they have not been doing enough to promote access. We aim to outline the many issues that appear to discriminate.

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        1. Cornwall Council have not been doing enough to promote access.

          On this occasion though, it seems that The Entertainer Toy Shop never requested a customer lift. Cornwall Council should have insisted upon it.

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  9. Sounds like a load of rubbish to me. All shops have to make reasonable adjustments. Do Cornwall planners really not understand the Equality Act or is the shop telling porkie pies? Most cathedrals have stair lifts installed and plenty of listed buildings have lifts. ???

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  10. There are so many listed buildings that have been made accessible. This sounds remarkably like an excuse to me. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’m curious as to whether the stairs are part of the listing.
    I honestly thought these things were non-negotiable now 😦 Apart from anything else, it’s a toy shop – one would think they would expect a high percentage of customers to have pushchairs / prams.

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  11. This is so sad.
    In some ways this makes me glad that Owen is not too aware of his surroundings. It must be heartbreaking to be made to feel that you are not welcome.
    Although Owen’s three sisters would be more than aware and would be upset that their brother is once again excluded. Many times if Owen can not go somewhere this means they can not go also. Imagine how much money they could lose if after realising we were not welcome we turned around and went elsewhere.
    I really do not understand how it is ok to constantly exclude one part of society again and again.

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    1. It must be horrendous for siblings. I feel glad that my other son is much older so his life is not also severely limited by facilities.

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  14. I’m gutted for Adam, he is already deprived of so much and can’t even enjoy one of the only toy shops we have in the county. How do the council get away with limiting disabled access when it is written in law? My children would have been devastated. It’s not on and something needs to change.

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  15. I have commented on the same thing on their Facebook page and in store. I don’t think they’re being entirely honest by blaming the council. As well as access for people whose mobility makes stairs impossible they have also made the shop off limits to all the parents with children in prams or buggies. Perhaps not the perfect place for a toy shop?

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    1. I think you are right.

      A friend of mine has spoken to Cornwall Council today and they informed her that no application for a customer lift was made.

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  16. This makes me absolutely furious! The Entertainer should be absolutely ashamed and this need to be put right, end of story. So sorry Adam had yet another day marred by discrimination and thoughtless businesses and councils. So sad. X

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  17. As a wheelchair user I completely understand. I belong to a disability network and I’m starting to see this time and time again. There appears to be loopholes in the equality act that when someone is making adjustments to a building, they don’t always have to adjust to the equality act. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Our local council are not adhering to the needs of local people because of it. I really hope more can be done in the future for all of us. Especially young children.

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    1. Thank you.

      I have received confirmation from Cornwall Council that no planning application was made for a customer lift. I will update the post to reflect that.

      When I wrote this it was merely to show people that this sort of thing still happens to people. Many able-bodied people think everything has to be accessible but it isn’t the reality for disabled people.

      If there are enough of us prepared to challenge these things, maybe we can improve things for future generations?

      I hope so. Thanks for your comment.

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  18. I feel sad for your son and feel really strongly that access should be possible for all people… how does that shop get all the stock upstairs ? if staff have to carry it all up, that is an health and safety issue…and likely to put more people in wheelchairs, because of damaged backs ! the Council would have had to inspect the building and grant permission before it could open and if there is a lift for stock, then they could at least make it available for children in wheelchairs. this shop will lose a lot of customers, as a lot of people with mobility problems or parents with babies in buggies with not be able to manage the stairs.
    I know as a carer how inaccessible a lot of places are, that others take for granted and it really is not fair !

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  19. It makes it a million times worse knowing they a) didn’t even bother applying for a lift in the first place and then b) lied about being refused permission to have one!

    If you are in need of a toy shop, for any reason, may I strongly encourage you to think about the shop you choose to look in. I for one will now be avoiding the Entertainer as a direct result of their despicable, inexcusable behaviour and attitude.

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  20. So upset reading this I contacted head office and explained as a disabled mum I couldn’t access the store, I was told by a supervisor that as he was told to tell all people making complaints it was down to te builders and being a listed building. I pointed out they didn’t need a stand up lift they could install a stair lift attached to the stairs that a wheelchair could go on. I then rang the West Briton and they are interested in running a story please can anyone with bad experiences please contact Caroline chick on 01872247410 she’s the reporter and lovely to speak to. Let’s end this lack of thought/ discrimination/ child heartbreak and get this company to do the right thing . I pointed out the plaza was a listed building and had a stair lift so no reason they can’t also.

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    1. I believe that a builder follows the plans designed by an architect. Lifts should have been investigated fully before it reached the stage of involving a builder.

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  26. That’s such a shame that you weren’t able to shop in the store and that there was no way of getting upstairs, surely there must have been a staff lift for deliveries and things? x

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    1. That is why I shared this. Most people think that everything is accessible nowadays but it isn’t.

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  28. Absolutely terrible and disgusting discrimination. Surely a toy shop would have applied for something suitable, what about the buggies that so many mums use?! It just doesn’t make sense that a toy shop would be so inaccessible to all ages and abilities of children.

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  29. Ridiculous on the part of the company. I just don’t understand why companies don’t make their premises easily accessible for all – surely the whole point of opening is to sell their goods and if they aren’t accessible they’re losing out on customers?! Its not just the disabled they’re losing out on here but shoppers with trollies, mums with buggies…. It seems pretty black and white to me. Sorry to see your son was so disappointed xx

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    1. Thank you. I don’t understand a company opening a toy shop in a premises like this without installing a lift. They knocked two shops together to create the space. So many disabled children (and adults) will continue to feel let down by this company.

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  30. Absolutely horrible that a toy shop would exclude children who are less abled. What an upsetting experience for you and your son and no doubt for the countless other children in wheelchairs who would like to be able to look at toys without being discriminated against. Shocking.

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    1. Thank you. So many people have been in touch to say that the same has happened to them. I can’t understand how they thought this was acceptable.

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    1. Watching his face change as I told him that there was no lift was just awful. I shall keep an eye out for your post. Feel free to tag me on social media.x

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  33. So sorry you, and others have had such an awful experience. Why should being in a wheelchair mean you can’t buy toys?? I really hope this gives some people a kick up the a**e they need to pull their fingers out and realise

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  34. It stuns me that in this day and age, businesses are still building without any consideration for the disabled. The fact it’s a huge toy store chain makes it even more unacceptable. So sorry your little boy was so disappointed. It really needs to be made mandatory law that at least large corporations need to make accessibility for the disabled. Or is that unreasonable?!

    Thanks for linking up.
    #KCACOLS

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  35. Thank you for the blog I feel your pain I have experienced similar situations with my now 14 year old disabled son. Keep the fight! 🙂 xx

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    1. This was a first for us. I normally check places ahead and then stay away if they are not accessible. But it didn’t cross my mind that a toy shop which had had so much work done to it would be inaccessible. The building had previously been two shops and it is a toy shop! Why on earth would any company not make a toy shop accessible?

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  36. This makes me feel so angry for both you and your boy. You should be able to have the choice and freedom to shop. They want your money so make the place accessible to all your customers. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE The Entertainer sort it out #KCACOLS

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  37. That’s really sad isn’t it – i’d be like you and just presume that there’d be no problems, given that it’s just opened. I’m so sorry for you that your son had to be disappointed like this. #kcacols

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  40. It’s really shocking that this is still a problem! Surely the store could have provided other solutions such as access ramos for wheelchair users. I used to work in a theatre and that was a listed building so we could not install lifts. However we did have mobile ramps to set up to accommodate guests who were wheelchair users. Yes it’s not 100% the most accessible but still would have allowed your son to visit the store’s other floors. Also more frustrating that they lied to you about it too!

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    1. The store was previously two shops and a lot of work was done to make it one. They only had to think ahead.

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