Update January 2005

Majority of UK arts attractions not Deaf-aware

A recent RNID survey showed that the majority of arts attractions remain unprepared for the needs and requirements of Deaf people.

The survey was carried out before the revised Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) came into effect last October 2004. Deaf mystery shoppers visited 75 arts attractions around the country. Among the things they looked for were textphones, infra-red loops, subtitled recordings on TV screens and BSL-interpreted tours. They found that there was an ‘endless catalogue of patchy access’ for Deaf and hard of hearing people among these attractions and that only seven could be described as Deaf-aware.

While some, including the National Theatre and National Gallery in London were described as ‘beacons of excellence’, the majority were criticised for not making changes in order to meet the requirements set out by the DDA. Among those criticised were the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.

80% of surveyed attractions did not have a system that enabled Deaf people to make bookings while 50% did not have infra-red loops. Out of those that did have loops, 39% did not publicise them. Staff in places that had textphones and infra-red loops were not trained to use them, the report states.