‘Wheeling on Ice’, a success for accessibility, unlocks festive joy and boosts footfall at Northampton's ice rink

ExCo

The goal: to demonstrate that when events are truly inclusive, accessible, and are clearly communicated, more disabled people attend. Benefiting everyone, by increasing visitor numbers, boosting footfall, and driving economic growth for local travel and tourism.

Accessibility was further enhanced by RevoLOOtion, who provided an on-site mobile Changing Places facility, removing one of the most common barriers preventing disabled people from attending public events.

Access to Christmas, venues, events and the outdoors generally, starts with clearly communicating the support provided and showing what people can expect

Across the UK, many festive venues and attractions are perceived to be inaccessible, because the relevant information is missing or unclear, and they aren’t proactively promoting or at least talking about accessibility. This lack of clear communication and disabled representation results in potential visitors deciding not to go.

The success of Wheeling on Ice demonstrates the opposite. By clearly communicating: who the session was for, the support available and showing people what they can expect, it enabled people to make an informed decision and attend confidently, many for the first time.

Families, carers and supporters attended together, highlighting how inclusive design naturally multiplies attendance and spend.

"It was incredible. We really, really appreciated your generosity and organisation in this Nick. To see the joy on my children’s faces was wonderful." – Helen

Accessibility is not a niche offer, it’s a route to increased footfall, wider audiences and longer dwell time.

"We had so much fun tonight. It was so lovely to be able to do something as a family that we could all participate in and enjoy." – Leigh-Anne

For some attendees, this was about far more than skating.

"This week in particular is the hardest for me, so to have a reason to smile, something to take my mind off everything, and to have a whole lot of fun… is more than I can ever explain." – Helen

Visible representation, disabled people actively participating, not observing from the sidelines, plays a critical role in building confidence, trust and repeat visits.

Nick Wilson says the event forms part of a wider evidence-based approach to improving accessibility across the county’s visitor economy.

"This is a great way to end a very successful year, but more importantly it demonstrates to both councils what can be possible. It builds directly on the data we gathered from NN Fest at Delapré Abbey in September, clearly showing the positive impact accessible events have on attendance, engagement and community wellbeing." – Nick Wilson

Disabled Adventurer and Access Outdoors now plan to work more closely with local councils and Discover Northamptonshire, in addition to travel, tourism and town-centre sectors to: improve how accessibility is communicated, help venues show what to expect before booking, provide practical guidance on implementation, and demonstrate the commercial value of inclusive design.

The goal is simple: clearly communicate what is available and the support provided, whilst making the outdoors accessible for all.