Beth writes

Tag: access needs

  • I do love to access the seaside – Scarborough

    South Bay sea front view of Scarborough, with sea in front.
    South Bay, Scarborough under cloudy sky

    Hello everyone – I haven’t posted in a few days.

    And where have I been? Up north to Scarborough, Yorkshire.

    The review which follows is my opinion on the access issues there.

    One of the best things is that local people are mostly friendly and willing to help. I also saw regular buses going from the town center, and many buildings had lifts and accessible entries. My hotel, The Royal, had a lift up from the street level to the reception.

    A victorian tram rides up and down St Stephen's Cliff in Scarborough.

    Let’s talk about getting around Scarborough.
    In the picture above there is a little tram that goes up and down the cliff. This would be the best way to get down to the front. The down side to that is it is not always working.
    The hills and cliffs aren’t something they can change much. If this tram was accessible every day it would make life easier. It’s only 1 pound per trip, or 2 pounds for return.
    There are also steps up and down from the cliffs. And a sloped path put in for those who can’t manage them.

    A long staircase leads up to St Mary's Church from close to the sea front. There is a banister going all the way up the middle.

    There are also sloped roads to get up and down, though these can be more of a challenge.

    An open top bus runs along the seafront from 9.30 am till the evening. This can be very helpful as the walk between is 3 miles.

    View of Scarborough Castle on top of hill.

    If you want to go up to the castle then prepare to be climbing up sloped roads quite a lot. It is beautiful at the top but hard to get to.

    My biggest accessibility bug bear though was a lack of public conveniences. I got caught out walking up to the castle and couldn’t find toilets again till back down at the beach. A few WC facilities along paths would make this easier.

    So, in review Scarborough isn’t the best for access, or the worst.

    Promenade of Scarborough sea front

    My advice is to always check where you are traveling can always meet your access needs.

  • What is Accessible Content?

    A question mark made of tiny buttons on a yellow background.
    Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

    Let’s start with what access means first.

    Many people in the world can achieve some things they want to, but not all. And sometimes that is down to lack of access.
    Google defines access as “the means or opportunity to enter or approach a place” but that is simplistic. To me, access also refers to permission to use a resource or take in information.

    A stop sign on a highway, referencing blocked access.
    Photo by Mwabonje Ringa on Pexels.com

    In short there are different types of access, and different needs. Sometimes it’s about being getting into a place, as the definition suggests.

    As a person with learning disabilities, and neurodiverse status this is how I see access.
    With access, I can reach the same goals and outcomes, as everyone else.

    Hand reaching to lightbulb, symbolizing access is reachable.
    Photo by Luca Nardone on Pexels.com

    Wouldn’t it be perfect if everyone got the same education, jobs, housing, and community.
    (Spoiler alert -if that sounds like a fantasy it is one but society could change one day. For now, the pursuit of access is a reality.)

    Picture of blue sky with words Future coming through it
    Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

    What happens when you don’t have access? You can’t get to the same places or do the things that others can. This is the reality of life without access. To highlight this point let me tell you my own story of getting work as a disabled person.

    Photograph of the author, Beth Birley

    After I graduated university, it took 6 years to get a job. To get there meant having to be put in a disabled box in the end. As someone who would much rather fit in it felt soul destroying. I had to concede it was the only way.  This disabled box though was a specialist employment agency that got me my first proper job.


    Between university and getting a job I did temp work for a bit through an agency. One of the most devastating experiences was when the agency sent me to do an admin for a company. I thought I was getting everything right but half an hour later I was sent home. Can you imagine what that feels like?

    So now you perhaps get a bigger picture on why access is important. Let’s move on to accessible content.