To Thai or just too High...

 As a child I grew up with many influential figures with two sets of opposing ideas; one, that my mother is an advocate of, 'don't aim too high for you will fall flat on your face and you will disengage with your reality' and the other idea, voiced by my sister, 'nothing is impossible and keep trying.' I can't say either are wrong or right, different situations require various ideas. For example, there is no point in deluding one self into a world of fantasy as it will crush the confidence of an individual; yet, at same time, we must try before we can say it is our destiny. On one particular night out, these two opposing ideas came into direct battle. 

A friend was leaving London to work abroad, so a group of four people decided to take her to a Thai restaurant in Soho (China Town) named Thai Tho Soho (42 Rupert Street) since her favourite food is Thai. I personally never tried it before; it seemed like the perfect choice. Another friend who was booking the table is a close friend of mine, so she is very aware of all the usual difficulties that I encounter when dining out or just going out for that matter. She phoned the restaurant, and asked twice 'is the place fully accessible?' Then, for fear of not defining full access properly, she furthermore asked if there are any steps or high kerbs. Their reply was a clear-'no, it is fully accessible with low height table.' My friend was still worried and asked, "are you sure?", sceptical. But, alas, she got a firm yes! I decided to call again, as often I get different people with different replies. I called the restaurant after my friend informed me that she had booked, and asked the same questions, then specifically said, "there is not any steps at all to get into the restaurant?" I was assured that there is none at all. I could not believe my luck! It's the first place we try, and it's accessible!

I then began to worry about getting there... Will my carer arrive on time? Will the booked taxi turn up? And if I hail one, would it stop? Then if it did, will it have ramps? These are just some of the usual issues that I regularly encounter and have to consider every time I go out.

The actual day arrived and everything was running smoothly- the carer was punctual, the  taxi came at the requested time, and my friend and I set off to meet the others at the restaurant. Again, I could not believe my luck! Well... I should not have really, as the dream date turned into a cold nightmare. The taxi dropped us off near the restaurant, and that's when our luck changed. As we finally arrived to the restaurant entrance, right out their door, was a huge step of about 4 inches in length at least. Woe. Is. Me.  My friend and I thought "ok, maybe there is another entrance or they might have a mobile ramp." I waited outside as my friend went to speak to the waiters, only to be told, nonchalantly, "no problem we will get you a place upstairs! Yes, it is about 14 steps but we can carry the wheelchair!!!!" My wheelchair is electric and is quite heavy. There is NO way that anyone can carry it 14 steps or even up the front door step. It is degrading for me, dangerous for all parties involved and, above all, why lie and say you are accessible?! I refused their offer and stated that we phoned three times and asked clearly whether or not the place is accessible. So why mislead us?! Why spoil my night out? Surely 14 steps are hard to miss! Even if the person who answered the phone was new to the place, then go and make sure it is accessible. I am not asking for the place to become accessible... I just want to know if it is!!!!

It is here that my mother's words echoed in my head. There was obviously no point in arguing, as all I got was an apology and the offer of a 'lift' up the stairs. Irritated, we were running out of time. I had to get back by certain hour for my carer's next call, plus the other girls were on their way to the restaurant. We phoned them and said to wait for our call while we search for another place even if it is not Thai food; just a restaurant to escape the cold and eat.

This may sound hard to believe, but we spent nearly 40 minutes searching for a restaurant. Surprisingly (not!), the whole of China town, did not have a single place that offered full access. I did not even want much, just some place step free and low height tables... God help people who need toilets or ear loops etc...Every restaurant we saw either had a high step or a very narrow door. Disgruntled and disheartened, I was freezing and desperate to just go anywhere. Even Burger King, the apparent mass market franchise eatery, had a step!

Excitedly, we finally thought we found a place. It had two steps, but on the side there was a slope for wheelchairs. What a relief! We went inside, called the girls, and gave them the name and address. We then opened the inside door to go in only to see 3 massive steps which you need to pass to get into the lift that will take you downstairs to the restaurant! :| What is the point?! Why start something and not finish it? why give hope, and cruelly cut it short? Why don't people use common sense and realise that having a lift with 3 steps to get to it is not my idea of accessible building!

Not one to give up easily, we carried on searching, finally finding a Lebanese restaurant in Piccadilly. Yes... it is that far away from the Thai restaurant, but wheelchair users can not be choosers, so we had to take whatever came our way. Even this place had two steps, but it also had a side door. Again, they offered to lift the wheelchair, but we insisted on using the side door, which we did. I wonder why everyone is obsessed with lifting me and the wheelchair?  Is it kindness, guilt, laziness, or (hopefully) chivalry in the 21st century? Whatever the reason, I don't want to be lifted. I don't want special treatment, I just want the same rights as everyone else!

I end this blog with one final thought- how can a very touristy area lack basic facilities for disabled people? If I, a Londoner, face that much difficulties in dining out, how welcome must foreign visitors with physical impairments feel?

'Warhorse': An animal's dream , A disabled person's nightmare

It is quite ironic that a play that is essentially about the idea of hope should be the very same play that kills 'my hope' of seeing it on stage.

Like most people who have heard endlessly about 'Warhorse', I wanted to go and see it with a friend; and when's a better time to go than during the holiday season, when my friend will be off from work and we will have more of a chance of getting tickets... how wrong was I?!

I phoned the number that is on Warhorse's website to book tickets, ideally I would love to book online as most people with internet access do, but I know being a wheelchair user I have to double check that the theatre is accessible, whether there are no small steps and that the space allocated for wheelchair users is actually a space big enough to accommodate electric wheelchairs. In fact I would have to repeat these questions several time to ensure there is no disappointment on the day, but that is a blog for another day.

Back to Warhorse. As the ticket office assistant answered the phone I explained I need to book 2 tickets one for a wheelchair user. I was told because I need a wheelchair space, I would have to call the actual venue of the play. I got the number and phoned, only to be told that the actual venue is where the play first started and not its current location. By this point, my tolerance level had started to drop; but I thought, 'it is ok nothing comes easy', and one must suffer to fully appreciate the joy. Yes, I was deluding myself.

I called the National Theatre where Warhorse was first performed, and after I gave the dates and number of tickets, I started to explain that I need a wheelchair space only to be stopped and told... Yes... of course, I have to call yet another number!!

I really could not grasp why a single venue should have different number and locations for booking a wheelchair space, so I voiced my view and explained that I spent nearly 2 hours on the phone calling 3 different numbers only to be told the same thing, 'I need to call another line', like a silly game of pass the parcel, with only slight difference-there is no fun involved in calling various phone numbers to book tickets. The reply I got is not even worth quoting, just a simple almost robotic programmed line of "sorry that is the only access telephone for wheelchair users".

Again, I am baffled as to why people with disability must call a specially designated phone number. Isn't that a form of segregation? And why make the process so hard and complicated? You can imagine my joy after all this time and after finally having the right number, I get an automated message informing me that the access line is only open for a limited number of hours on some days of the week!!! Frustrated, angry and annoyed I did not want to give up. Not for the deep desire to see the play, as by that stage I had lost complete interest in seeing Warhorse, but I just did not want to be beaten by a system that is beyond logic. I called again the next day-no answer. The day after the phone lines were busy, then finally someone answered but by then Warhorse was booked out; well, wheelchair spaces were at least, and not really surprised as there are only 2 or 3 spaces available.

So I was beaten by this 'illogical system'. Despite my efforts, tolerance and persistence, I was no match for the discrimination, ill thinking, narrow minded attitude of a messed up system. How is it possible that in a 2013, the 'age of now' and 'instant everything', calling 5 different numbers just to find such a simplistic answer should be shameful. Especially in London.

I want to end this blog with an interesting yet ironic thought 'Warhorse' which is a tale of dignity offered to an animal in 1914, is not offered to people living with disability in 2013.

Something for the Future!

When I received Wagamama's reply I was not sure how to react to it, part of me was pleased that they replied and took the matter on board but at the same time I was disappointed that there was no immediate resolution to the problem. I wonder if I am being negative or over ambitious or simply getting impatient with all the wrongs of this world, why do we have to wait endlessly for things to be corrected, and why endure the distress of being rejected simply because you lack the physical ability! And most importantly who can guarantee to be alive to see these changes so must we live and suffer and wait for the future that is not ours?

Here is Wagamama's reply.

Date received: 29th June 2012

dear......

thank you for getting in touch and I am sorry to hear you did not have a great experience on your recent visit

we have taken note of how our seating style can sometimes limit access to customers who require wheelchair access, and therefore over the years we have been introducing movable seats and tables within our new restaurants to provide alternative seating options

when building our restaurants we always ensure we oblige to dda compliance regulations and that the height of our benches and tables also comply with this. however I will of course pass on your feedback to our property team so that they are made aware that for some of our valued guests, this is an issue that we need to bear in mind while building our restaurants

please do not hesitate to get in contact if you have any further comments or queries

regards

............................................
customer service advisor

wagamama ltd t: +44 207 009 3600 | f: +44 207 009 3601 a: waverley house, 7-12 noel street, london W1F 8GQ 

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Wa-Wa Mama

Ever wanted to go to a restaurant or felt a craving for a particular food but could not go? I am sure many people have experienced such thing but how many were prevented from following their cravings simply because they do not meet the height of the restaurant's tables?!!

Five years ago during a work internship my team decided to go to Wagamama restaurant, I was excited as I had never been before, once there I realised that I could not see the food, why you may ask, because the height of the table reached my head!!!!!! I felt bad for the rest of the team and did not feel it was fair that they all had to move because of me, so stayed but had to be fed or handed down the food by a friend.
Not only I could not join the others in their conversation but I felt like a 'pet' that is seated below the table with food handed down to it. I was so annoyed I decided never to go there again, although I have to admit their food was quite yummy.

Last month after a theatre trip my friend and I went to Westfield London and found an accessible Wagamama but once inside I saw that after all these years they still have those discriminating tables. But if they have not changed, then I have, I did not stay and tolerate like last time and will not be passive, so I wrote to complain and hope some action may soon be witnessed.

Here is my complaint:


I am a disabled person who uses a wheelchair and that in itself seems to be the deciding factor in preventing me from dining at Wagamama as millions of others enjoy doing.

The reason being is the height of your table, I appreciate it adds a unique style to your establishment but at the same time it discriminates against wheelchair users like myself, who can not reach the table, I was invited to Wagamama 5 years ago and once there i realised the table reachedlevel of my head so I had to be handed the food or fed by my companion, few weeks ago I visited Wagamama again in the hope things have improved, I was very wrong as the tables were still the same. This time I did not stay.

I don't understand why there can't be a mixture of tables, that way you ensure that everyone regardless of their height can use your establishment, and at same time maintaining your unique style .