Councils have been urged to improve access to seaside resorts in a bid to benefit from the ‘purple pound’ worth £80bn a year.
The minister for disabled people, Esther McVey, has written to all local authorities asking them to ensure tourist hotspots are accessible for disabled people. Ms McVey said it ‘makes good business sense’ to improve inclusivity.
She said: ‘The ‘purple pound’ is worth £80bn a year, councils can benefit by tapping into this when considering how to make their local environment more inclusive by opening up our beaches and other tourist hotspots for everyone to enjoy
‘Often a small change can make a big difference to disability access and so we’d encourage councils to continue working in partnership with disabled people and their organisations, as they know what works best in their local areas on the ground.’
Ms McVey is asking councils to work with local grassroots organisations through the Disability Action Alliance, which was set up by the Government to improve the lives of disabled people.