Accessibility is a key part of creating a welcoming visitor experience, and Worcestershire businesses are stepping up to make a real difference.
Funded by Visit Worcestershire and Worcestershire County Council, the Accessibility Champions Business Support Programme has helped businesses enhance their accessibility through expert guidance from Access and Inclusion UK, funding opportunities, and tailored support.
We spoke with the Morgan Experience Centre, one of the businesses who participated in the scheme.
How would you describe your business to visitors who may not be aware of you?
Morgan Motor Company is the world’s pre-eminent coachbuilder, providing a fitting antidote to mass-produced automotive manufacturing.
The Morgan Experience Centre is based at the home of Morgan Motor Company and hosts a range of experiences and attractions including our captivating and immersive factory tour, where you’re guided through each stage of our historic vehicle production. Alongside this, we offer a host of thrilling drive experiences, including guided drives, self-drive hire and driving tours both UK-based and Europe.
The Morgan Experience Centre facilities are a must-visit in Worcestershire, with the Morgan Shop, Morgan Works Malvern Showroom, The Archive Room (our interactive museum) and the Morgan Café open to all. You’ll not only find a seasonal and locally sourced menu in the café, but a comfortable and friendly atmosphere throughout.
What made you want to join the Visit Worcestershire Accessibility Programme?
Continuing with the five-week programme, in which we had access to both Jane's (Jane Cooper from Access & Inclusion UK) real-life experiences and knowledge, was key in understanding how we can make a difference through the accessibility of our facilities.
Our team at Morgan Experience aim to provide everyone with friendly and personal interactions, making it essential that we know who our customers are.
What did you find was the most useful part of the Accessibility Programme for your business?
The real-life experiences from not only Jane, but others taking part in the programme were key in understanding who our customers are.
The audits were clear, easy to understand and gave a great assessment of where we were already doing well, and what needed to be improved.
What changes have you made at the Morgan Experience since the Accessibility Programme to make it more accessible and inclusive?
- We have created a dedicated accessibility page on the Morgan Motor Company website.
- Training has been given to the wider Morgan Experience team to increase their awareness and knowledge.
- We are in the process of purchasing two wheelchairs, several sets of ear defenders, magnifying sheets and a seat to stand assist.
- We have created a profile on Euan's Guide.
- We have refined our policies surrounding carer tickets and assistance dogs.
What benefits have you seen for your business since making changes to your accessibility?
We have had increased requests for carer tickets to attend the factory tour, as well as a decrease in the number of questions asked about accessibility at our facilities.
What advice would you give to other businesses thinking about making changes to their accessibility?
Start with small wins and plan for the bigger changes. You'll be surprised how many small changes can be made with limited time and resources, that will make a big impact for your customers.
Are you planning any further changes to your accessibility over the coming months? New products, expansion etc.
We plan to install a hearing loop at three key areas within The Morgan Experience Centre, as well as adding two new baby changing units to our male and female toilets. Our outdoor seating area will soon benefit from a new ramp for access and exit, and we continue to explore hearing aid friendly, listening device options for our factory tours.
Among some wider changes soon to develop on our experience web pages, we will be highlighting experiences accessible to most, and later down the line we will further explore the possibility of signed/touch tours.
What would your advice be to inspire other businesses to get involved and improve their accessibility?
The programme has been invaluable in providing awareness to our teams. It's not always possible to put change in place but to be aware of your customers’ needs should be reason enough to get involved!
The VisitEngland Accessibility Toolkit provides businesses with plenty of useful information to welcome all visitors. For further information - click here