Spa professionals have voiced concerns about the UK's new disability discrimination legislation, which could potentially see businesses prosecuted for failing to meet the needs of customers with disabilities.

Delegates at the Spa Business Association (SpaBA) networking event in Buxton on 26 September expressed fears that Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) – which cames into force on 1 October this year – will discriminate against small businesses, which cannot afford to make expensive adjustments.

The debate followed a presentation by Stewart McGough of Aedas Access Consultancy, a design company specialising in disabled access.

Responding to one delegate, who suggested that the bill would expose small businesses to unfair claims, McGough said: “The emphasis is on being reasonable but what you cannot do is nothing.”

In order to help operators arrive at a definition of what is ‘reasonable’, Aedas has introduced a DDA Logbook to chart design and construction of new buildings or alterations to existing buildings.

“The Logbook is your defence, showing that you’ve been reasonable and [that if a claim is made] you will respond to it,” said McGough.

Spa operators should not expect customers to disclose their disability before making changes, he added. Service providers have a ‘duty at large’ to cater for disabled customers and should have contingency plans in place to meet the needs of people with different disabilities.

For this reason, he said, the role of the receptionist is “crucial to your whole operation”.

Other talks at the conference were given by High Peak Borough Council and Marsh Insurance. Delegates also enjoyed a tour of the site earmarked for the £23m Buxton Spa Project, which will see the town’s Georgian crescent transformed into a working hotel and spa using the region’s world-famous thermal mineral water.