The Blue Badge Access Awards (BBAAs) is the only dedicated global award scheme that promotes stylish accessibility in hospitality establishments, something that Hotel Designs cannot champion loud enough. This year, the category ‘Imagining Innovations for Disabled Guests’ includes a £20k prize fund…
The Blue Badge Access Awards, which set the gold standard for access in hospitality by rewarding UK venues and people for ‘accessibility with style’ are inviting entries for 2022.
“Mobility – or the lack of it – shouldn’t mean you can’t have style,” said Fiona Jarvis, Co-Founder, BBAA. “If you’re a hospitality venue or person who has gone the extra mile to make your venue accessible to everyone, and in doing so you have treated disabled people as customers, rather than ‘compliance issues’, then we urge you to enter the awards, and join us at next year’s ceremony at Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester.”
Previous winner Ed Warner, CEO of Motionspot, said: “Nearly one in five working-age UK adults have a disability. Being accessible AND stylish aren’t incompatible – they are the key to ensuring you haven’t excluded 20 per cent of your potential market. There are 14.1 million disabled people in the UK, while ‘accessible tourism’ is estimated to be worth £12 billion per year.
“Whether your motivation is simply to ‘do the right thing’, or to expand your business,” added Jarvis, “we are here to recognise and celebrate you. And if you’re not yet in a position to compete for one of our Access Awards, Blue Badge Style are here to advise, support, inspire and encourage you.”
The venue for the 2022 Awards – Hotel Brooklyn in Manchester – opened in 2020, and features 18 Liberty Bedrooms, setting a whole new standard for accessible bedrooms in hotels. “The aim,” says Robin Sheppard, who co-founded the Blue Badge Access Awards and conceived the Hotel Brooklyn brand, “was for any visitor to Hotel Brooklyn – able or disabled – to regard the Liberty bedrooms as an upgrade, not a lesser option. So we’re thrilled that The Caterer Magazine has recognised that in their own awards scheme, and we’re equally delighted that the 2022 Blue Badge Access Awards will be held here.”
The award categories for 2022
There will be nominations, submissions and awards in each of the following categories:
- Best Upmarket Bar
- Best Budget Bar
- Conran Award for Best Upmarket Restaurant
- Best Budget Restaurant
- Best Boutique Hotel
- HEWI Award for Best Luxury Hotel
- Historic England Award for Best Venue in a Listed Building
- Above & Beyond Award (includes Hospitality & Corporates, venues and/or people)
- Access Champion of the Year
- Training Initiative of the Year Award
- Best Accessible Toilet
- The Exception Award – Most Ludicrous (‘accessible’) Loo
- Euan’s Guide People’s Choice Award
The Conceptual Design Award 2022:
There is a prize fund of £20,000 for these Awards:
- Innovative Inclusive Hospitality/Hotel Design Concept (open to architects and designers)
- Most Inclusive Guest Innovation (open to all)
Anyone can nominate a venue, person or organisation for an award (venues/organisations may nominate themselves). Nominations are encouraged from anywhere in the world. You can request an entry form by emailing BBAA.
Main image credit: BBAA/Hotel Brooklyn
