What does accessibility mean in terms of wine? How we make someone feel when accessing choices and information about wine is a key inclusion point.
When you work in the world of wine you get used to the language, you can quickly forget it's like talking a foreign language (and quite often actually is!) to someone who doesn't work in wine. It is important to ensure that the dialect and terminology used to describe wine is accessible to all, regardless of their level of expertise. The wine industry can be intimidating to those who are not familiar with the jargon and terminology used by wine experts.
It's important to think how we use language and words to break down the information so it can be accessible by all.
A few examples to have a think about-
When talking about the colour of the wine, do you ever discuss how wine gets its colour and what difference it can make?
Grape varieties, growing them in different parts of the world what effects that has? If someone has had a wine they didn't enjoy explaining why may help them make a better choice.
Temperature of wine, the colder the wine the more the flavours are masked, what does this mean for a consumer?
A fun fact on a grape can make it easier for people to remember about it when they wish to revisit the wine.
Glassware, why and what is the impact.
Where do the flavours you smell and taste in wine come from? Because there aren't actual Strawberries in a Pinot Noir!
What's the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the word accessibility in an environment? Ramps? Lifts? Wheelchairs?
Did you know it is estimated 1.2million people in the UK use a wheelchair.
As much as ramps and lifts are a crucial part of access, there are quite a few other points we can discuss when it comes to access.
Layout, have you ever just walked around a space and thought how it would to access it if you are using walking sticks or in a wheelchair? So often in hospitality spaces tables are laid to be aesthetically pleasing, but doesn't always make it easy to navigate.
Make your accessible spaces near entrances so they are easy to get to.
Furniture, think if someone needs a wheelchair space where is the spare chair going to go? A lot of wheelchair users need space behind them too as they may have lots of bits on the back of the chair or need to know they won't be knocked.
Signs, what height are your information signs at? Having them at eye level for someone walking can make it hard for someone in a wheelchair, dropping them to a lower level can make it easier for all.
Toilets! How do you refer to your toilet? Disabled or Accessible? By calling it an accessible toilet you indicate making it inclusive.
Just have a look round your workspace and see what small changes you could make.
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