Swanston Brasserie has made Sight Scotland its charity of the month for March 2024 to help shine a light on all the great work the charity does in support of the visually impaired. Swanston is also hoping to inspire more bars and restaurants to be more accessible for blind and partially sighted people and is urging venues to utilise Sight Scotland’s free Customer Service Guide which gives simple advice and tips on what venues can do to improve the visitor experience for the vision impaired.
Swanston Brasserie, located just five miles south of Edinburgh City Centre, is among the first restaurants in Scotland to prioritize accessibility for the visually impaired. The restaurant has made changes to its layout, ensuring that a person with vision impairment is made to feel as welcome and comfortable as possible from the moment they step in the front door to the moment they leave. Swanston has assessed all its signage, has introduced braille and large print menus, has an audio menu for its website and has produced its own printed VI training guide for all its staff to follow.
The restaurant has also created an accessibility tab on its website, which shows users exactly what to expect when they arrive, with a step by step walk through of the venue, ensuring there are no unexpected surprises on arrival.
Unfortunately, most people with a VI have anxiety; they don’t like new places and they don’t like surprises. This is why it is so important for them to know a venue is accessible and that the staff are friendly and aware of what assistance they may require.
Swanston enlisted the help of Marie O’Donnell, who works for Sight Scotland as a rehabilitation and mobility officer, who has been blind since birth, to give advice on what accessibility changes were needed, and to assist with staff training so they know exactly how to welcome and serve a person with vision impairment.
Sam Lockhart, who is Marketing Manager at Swanston Brasserie, comments: “We are delighted to have Sight Scotland as our charity of the month for March. I am very passionate about this due to my Great Grandfather who was blind, he lived until he was 102 and there was literally nothing he could not do. We want to improve the visitor experience for everyone, and make people with vision impairment, or any disability, feel as welcome and comfortable as possible.
“As a society we need to work on education, and improve our understanding that everyone is different, but these differences should not prevent anyone from doing things they enjoy. I very much believe that we should try and give 100% to everyone. Unfortunately, most people with a VI have anxiety; they don’t like new places and they don’t like surprises. This is why it is so important for them to know a venue is accessible and that the staff are friendly and aware of what assistance they may require. People with a VI spend their life planning, so if they find a restaurant or venue which suits their needs, and where they are well looked after, it stands to reason that they will return.
Sam adds: “I want to stress that this has not been a financial burden and most of the changes we have made are small and easy to implement. I would fully recommend that other restaurants and venues take advantage of the Sight Scotland Customer Service guide and together we can all open our doors to the vision impaired.”
Download our free customer service guide here
We are offering a new advice guide called "Giving great service to customers with visual impairment". This guide highlights simple ways venues can offer an exceptional experience. It is for waiters, waitresses and managers - or whoever is involved in hospitality and serving food and drink to customers.