Asian shopping high streets are not wheelchair friendly and they have not made an effort to change, as I found out.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (informally, and hereafter, the DDA) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that states that the DDA is a civil rights law thus giving disabled people the opportunity to gain equal rights to prevent discrimination and injustice of social rights.

As this is an act of Parliament one would think all the shops on Victoria Street and Whalley Range, Blackburn would adhere to it right?

I remember many years ago when the powers that be decided to launch a feature named ‘The Whalley Range Bazaar’ where a plethora of businesses would be selling their wares and providing services to all those eager and desperate customers some of whom had travelled from as far away as Burnley. Yes, Burnley.

I was involved at the beginning of this venture and attended countless meetings wearing my ‘disabled customer hat’.

Many discussions took place where there was a genuine and viable reason why each business had a step at the entrance due to the nature of these buildings this is something that could not be changed. 

As a possible answer I remember we discussed a mobile ramp that would be shared by three to four businesses and would be used by each business as and when needed.

Asian Image:

I found one shop along the stretch that had a ramp - the newly opened Chaiiwala. Some of the shops do not need ramps for access but the majority do. Here we are in one of the busiest shopping areas in the country and people like me can’t get into most of the stores.

Many years later there is no evidence of any ramp. When I attended the meetings, I was walking all be it with two crutches but am now wheelchair dependent.

Going in any of the shops is impossible. I find myself knocking at the door shouting ‘hello help please', (thoroughly degrading).
Depending on the number of customers present I am sitting out there waiting for someone to notice me.

Now these shops have a) never heard of the DDA where all are to be treated equal a law that has been passed in Parliament or b) they don’t care and there is nobody monitoring this situation?
It would be so easy for me to stop venturing out and thus become house bound which would affect my social, emotional and wellbeing but I am as stubborn as a mule and refuse to give in.

Why are the council not monitoring those shops not adhering to the law? 

I could quite easily go off at a tangent and speak of the condition of the footpath which has had me nearly ending up on the road as they are so severely damaged. I am sure I will one day end up driving into oncoming traffic, where the sentence ‘HAD AN ACCIDENT AND IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT!' (will come into play).
I would like to see a concerted effort made from the powers that be to escort me on a shopping trip on Whalley Range, so they can see at first-hand  all the problems we disabled folk encounter everyday.

The traffic lights outside the KQF Superstore have not been working for over a year, I sit there waiting for a break in the traffic or risk life and limb slowly edging out for the driver to see I am holding up my hand as a signal for them to either slow down or stop. 

For all that do, thank you ever so gratefully as you could quite easily just drive on by. 

I will conclude this article on a more positive note where we have a new tea and snack place that has opened called ‘Chaiiwala’ which translates as ‘person who serves tea’.

I was very excited as I do love having my beverage hot from a shop even though I have all ingredients at home we would all agree it’s the experience we want.

I was eager to explore this new place only to be told it was closed.

Second time around, the manager rushed out to say they were closing due to gas problems. I explained it was my second visit, he was very sorry and asked if I could, with the aid of my carer climb the single step  and we both got a tea on the house.

He went on to explain he had a ramp. Hallelujah, something that surprised me - finally one shop with a ramp!

I did go back after a week with my friends and they put out the ramp and soon after another disabled man came to the shop.