PUBLISHED
22:00 30 July 2012
By @OfficialQPR
Queens Park Rangers Football Club fully supports the principle of equal opportunities and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of disability.
The Club operates a concessionary ticketing policy for disabled supporters and will ensure that the scheme does not discriminate between disabled people with differing impairments.
The Club recognises that not all of its facilities are fully accessible to disabled customers and confirms that it is committed to making the necessary reasonable adjustments described by The Equality Act 2010 and its relevant Codes of Practice to ensure full compliance with the legislation.
Definition of Disability
As a fundamental principle, The Equality Act 2010 states that disabled people should not be treated "less favourably, without justification"; and "reasonable adjustments should be made to make goods, facilities and services accessible." Queens Park Rangers Football Club aims to fully comply with both the provisions and spirit of the Act.
The definition of a disabled supporter is: "Any person who, because of their disability or impairment, is unable to use ordinary stand seating without contravening Health and Safety Regulations, Guidelines or Policy or where the Club has provided a "reasonable adjustment" to enable that supporter to attend the venue. Any such person will be considered for use of the "designated areas" of the stadium in line with the procedures set out in this policy."
A "reasonable adjustment" in this context shall include (but is not limited to) the need to use a wheelchair platform, the need to bring a "personal assistant" for either personal care or safety reasons, or the use of an auxiliary service (e.g. match commentary for visually impaired supporters or "loop systems" for supporters with sensory impairments).
A "designated area" is any area (including specific seats around the stadium bowl) that the Club shall, in its sole discretion, determine as being available for the disabled concessionary ticket price.
A person has a "disability" if he/she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club reserves the right to request "proof of a disability" before issuing any concession. Such proof shall include:
- Receipt of the middle or higher rate of the Disability Living Allowance (mobility or care component)
- Receipt of either the Severe Disablement Allowance or Attendance Allowance
- A personal letter from your GP
NB: Receipt of an Orange/Blue badge will not be considered sufficient proof of disability for the concessionary ticket price.
Contact with Existing Disabled Supporters
Queens Park Rangers Football Club has an open dialogue with its disabled supporters and encourages them to contact the Club on a regular basis to discuss facilities and improvements etc.
The Club has also undertaken a review of its DDA position both internally and via NADS and is putting in place a series of improvements/proposals identified as part of those discussions.
Facilities for Supporters Using Wheelchairs
The Club has 27 positions for wheelchair supporters and, if required, a personal assistant. These are situated in Ellerslie Road and the East and West Paddocks. Of these, three are available for away supporters in the West Paddock.
These places are provided at a concessionary price of £12 (bronze) and £15 (silver) (subject to other concessions where applicable e.g. pre-game/online booking) payable by the disabled person using the wheelchair. Should a personal assistant be required, they will not be charged. Season Tickets are available at £250.00 (Bronze) and £315.00 (Silver).
In conjunction with the proof of disability mentioned above, this concession will only be available to those people who meet the eligibility criteria described below:
- Wheelchair-using applicants must be largely confined to a wheelchair, or not capable of walking a distance further than that required to reasonably and safely access any other part of the stadium.
- Wheelchair-using applicants should, ideally, also be accompanied by a person who is capable of supporting the disabled person's needs in the event of an emergency. For this reason, Queens Park Rangers Football Club strongly recommends that a personal assistant is sixteen years of age or over and not infirm.
The Club's Health and Safety policy requires that the person using a wheelchair remains in their wheelchair or sits in the row immediately in front of the platform. Any refusal will be deemed to be a contravention of Health and Safety policy and you may be asked to leave the stadium/be declined a ticket.
Facilities for Supporters with Visual Impairments
The Club has positions for visually impaired supporters and, if required, their personal assistants.
Match commentary is provided by a dedicated audio described commentary and headsets are available. Please contact Fiona Hodgson on
0208 740 2520 or e-mail her at
fionah@qpr.co.uk to organise this service.
Eligibility for this concession requires proof of disability as described above or each person can provide a copy of their registration document which certifies they are Registered Blind or Registered Partially Sighted, or provide qualifying documentation from their optician equivalent to registration requirements.
The Club strongly recommends that each visually impaired person attending a match should be accompanied by a person who is fully able to support their needs in the event of an emergency.
Guide Dogs are allowed into the stadium, but we would recommend that supporters with Guide Dogs contact the Club before the match so that we can discuss with them access into the ground, facilities inside the ground and the welfare of the Guide Dog before, during and after the match.
Facilities for Supporters with Hearing Impairments
Currently under review.
Facilities for Supporters with Ambulatory Disabilities
Queens Park Rangers Football Club recognises that there are considerable numbers of people in the community who use wheelchairs mainly for outdoor mobility purposes but are not necessarily confined to their wheelchair. There are also many people suffering with severe walking difficulties who may wish to watch a match.
For the purposes of this policy and the administration of the concessionary ticketing policy, both categories of people will be termed 'ambulatory disabled supporters' and those supporters with ambulatory disabilities of a severe nature will qualify for the concessionary treatment and have access to seating nearest the entrances/exits.
Provision will be in "designated areas" only and should the individual not wish to sit here, they forfeit the entitlement to a disability related concession.
Eligibility to these areas will be dependent on providing proof of disability (as described above) or will be decided on individual merit based on information provided to the Club's Disability Liaison Officer, Jade Strong; this information will assist in determining each individual's suitability for use of the facilities.
Facilities for Supporters with Infirmities
Supporters with physically restricting medical conditions can sometimes have difficulty in reaching seats in some parts of the stadium.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is conscious of a growing elderly population and wish to consider their needs in order for them to be able to continue watching matches whenever possible. With this in mind it is proposed that those elderly people suffering from an infirmity which prevents them climbing large numbers of steps should be able to request a seat in the most accessible part of the stadium (i.e. nearest the entrances/exits). Please advise the Ticket Office of this request at the time of booking.
Should their infirmity be so severe that the supporter cannot manage more than one or two steps, they may be entitled to the concession offered for ambulatory disabled supporters (see above).
Facilities for Supporters with Learning Difficulties
Supporters with learning difficulties can normally be accommodated in any part of the stadium in normal seating. However, if ,for any reason, a person with a learning difficulty feels that ordinary stand seating would be unsuitable for them, they will be entitled to sit in the disabled concessionary areas and receive the appropriate concession (including the FREE personal assistant seat). Please contact the Club's Disability Liaison Officer, Jade Strong, for further information.
Family Seating
Queens Park Rangers Football Club recognises that disabled people have families who may wish to attend matches as a family unit in much the same way as non-disabled people would. The Club will try and accommodate such requests although this may not always be possible.
Please contact the Ticket Office for assistance in obtaining tickets as close as possible to the designated areas.
Disabled Persons' Toilets
There is one toilet in each stand with a choice of "sided" transfers. These toilets are alarmed.
If you experience any problems with use of the disabled toilets (or feel that they are being abused), please contact the nearest steward on the day or the Club's Disability Liaison Officer, Jade Strong, after the match.
Access to Other Facilities
The Club has many facilities available on matchdays and non-matchdays which aren't directly linked with actually watching the match. Such facilities include the Superstore, lounges, suites and executive boxes. The Club has carried out an informal DDA Audit of these facilities and a review is currently on-going.
Accessible Websites
Useful information for disabled supporters regarding facilities at grounds across the country can be found on the Level Playing Field website -
www.levelplayingfield.org.uk.
Steward Training
Queens Park Rangers Football Club's stewards are trained in the FSQ modular system, which includes a disability module.
Staff Training
Elements of staff training which relate to 'disability awareness' and 'disability etiquette' have been identified and a training programme will be instituted to ensure that awareness and etiquette is observed. This training programme will be on-going. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is forcefully committed to developing a "can do" culture by introducing such training and it will remain the hub to the further development of this policy.
Audit
As part of its disability awareness, Queens Park Rangers Football Club will undertake to have Loftus Road audited annually for accessibility for disabled people. This is a key component of The Equality Act 2010 and FA Guidelines.
Conclusion
Every reasonable adjustment is being made to all the services provided by the different departments of Queens Park Rangers Football Club. All department managers and personnel have been made aware and instructed to comply with the provisions of The Equality Act 2010. Access to goods and services, as well as matchday facilities, are being fully assessed and measures are in place to ensure compliance with all associated legislation.
Ambulant disabled supporters and wheelchair users should contact Jade Strong on
020 8740 2502 or
jades@qpr.co.uk for details regarding disabled facilities and ticket prices.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club openly welcomes comments on this policy and would encourage any person to contact the Club with their comments or queries.