| The board was told the Eagle Inn in King Street took the unusual step of approaching the 5 Digits Group in 2005 and asking for their backing instead of having to be chased up by the group.
However, group chairman, John Mitchell, said he was “very disappointed” that nothing had yet been put in place for the benefit of disabled people.
The group, which investigates complaints from the public from its base in the Mackinnon Centre, raised formal complaints with the board today under disability and licensing legislation, claiming the existing gents’ toilet in the pub was “totally inadequate”.
Mr Mitchell said the group agreed in 2005 to write to the planning authorities in support of a proposal by the pub to create disabled toilets and level access from the street, but the Eagle Inn had failed to deliver.
He added, “What we are trying to say is that it’s a long time coming. It’s coming up for three years now. An assurance was given but nothing’s happened.”
The board initially heard the complaint by the 5 Digits Group last month, but deferred the case to allow pub owner Kenny Nicoll, to make a personal appearance.
An agent for Mr Nicoll said the initial plan had been to build a disabled toilet in the pub courtyard, but this would have cost over £50,000 and would have required the permission of Scottish Water to move drains.
He said it was not the case all licensed premises had to have disabled toilets. Under the legislation, if a licensee can show he has taken reasonable steps to try to create disabled access, there can be no discrimination.
Although Mr Nicoll was no longer prepared to carry out the extensive refurbishment under his original proposal, he was looking at alternatives that would allow disabled access to the premises.
Board chairman John Letford said other pubs had managed to introduce disabled access and he was not impressed that Mr Nicoll had yet to do so.
He said, “Those people with disabilities have every right to have the same opportunities and this board will carry that forward as far as we possibly can.
“I am not impressed by you saying you are not willing to carry this out and will look at other possibilities. In dialogue with other pubs, this issue has been settled amicably. I would like to know you are committed to this.”
He was told architects had drawn up other plans but some more time would be needed to examine these options to find out which was most viable.
Mr Letford added, “Some others have made great inroads (into providing disabled access) and we are grateful for that, but we would like to see others doing the same.”
The board further deferred the matter to March 20 to enable the pub to choose an alternative option for disabled access. |
