Surviving and Thriving: the Power of the Purple Pound for the Hospitality Industry

The closing of our hospitality venues has had a significant social and financial impact across the UK. For those of us who rely on our local restaurants and bars to meet with friends, family and meet new people, we have lost those safe spaces in which to socialise — particularly those of us living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, hospitality business owners and their staff who rely on our custom to survive and thrive, have lost significant income which will have a rolling impact in other areas of their lives.

According to UK Hospitality’s quarterly Tracker, collated by CGA, sales in the hospitality sector are estimated to have crashed by 87% in the second quarter of 2020. This is the equivalent revenue loss of nearly £30 billion and serves as an ominous prediction of even greater losses for the hospitality sector over the second half of this year — and possibly into 2021, as restrictions are once again tightened.

We all wait with bated breath in the hope that our favourite venues survive the pandemic. This is particularly true for those of us living with disabilities and access related anxiety, and who already have a limited choice of cafes, restaurants and bars in which to meet and socialise.

Purple, an organisation working to change the conversation around disability, has reported that less than 10% of organisations have a targeted plan to access the disability market. However, they also highlight that in the UK, the ‘Purple Pound’ — the spending power of disabled people and their families — is worth around £274 billion and it is suggested that this is rising by 14% each year.

Could we turn this missed opportunity into a mutually beneficial lifesaving survival strategy for hospitality businesses? If our bars, restaurants, cafes and other hospitality venues invested in the necessary adjustments to make their venues fully accessible, they could benefit greatly both socially and commercially from the ‘Purple Pound’ in these challenging times. The benefit would, of course, be entirely mutual; it is no secret that those living with disabilities, together with their families, friends and wider networks, will reciprocate with loyalty, to those venues in which they feel safe and where their needs are met.

Working towards accessible environments which ensure that disabled people can experience and enjoy their hospitality venues in the way that they are intended, is not only a moral and social priority for businesses; as the figures from Purple Tuesday indicate, a commitment towards accessibility simply makes good financial sense.

I am humbled to have been chosen to represent Purple Tuesday as an Ambassador this year. Purple Tuesday is one part of what Purple does to change the disability conversation. And as an entrepreneur, I can see what potential opportunities await the hospitality industry, moving forward, should they choose to increase their focus on the ‘Purple Pound’. This brings me to my organisation, Access Rating, which provides cost-effective solutions to businesses, helping them to access this largely untapped market.

It may be of interest to know that making a venue fully accessible is often less expensive than businesses anticipate; we have seen many instances where a £200 portable ramp can change a venue from inaccessible to accessible. This is the drive of Access Rating; to encourage and promote better access in our society. It’s also where the primary aims of Purple Tuesday and Access Rating meet; both working tirelessly towards a more accessible environment for all.

I hope that this coming year will see some welcome changes regarding the hospitality industry and its commitment to improving access, encouraged by the many organisations like ours, all working to see that change realised.