Check the Venue Before You Commit
Before booking a pitch, ask the organiser for practical access details, not just a general statement that the venue is “accessible”. Confirm:
- Step-free customer entrances and trader load-in routes
- Accessible toilets and their distance from your pitch
- Suitable parking or drop-off points for disabled customers
- Public transport access and clear walking routes
- Floor surfaces, slopes, thresholds and lighting
- Emergency evacuation procedures for disabled customers and staff
- Whether queues may block entrances, exits or accessible routes
If the event is in a converted warehouse or older building, check door widths, uneven floors and temporary ramps carefully. A spacious venue can still create barriers if stalls, cables, bins or queues narrow the route.
Design Your Stall for Inclusive Service
Your setup should make ordering, paying and collecting food as easy as possible. Small changes can make a big difference:
- Keep the front of your stall clear of boxes, A-boards and loose cables
- Avoid placing menus too high or in poor lighting
- Offer a large-print menu if possible
- Keep allergen information easy to read and available on request
- Provide a lowered handover point where practical
- Make sure staff can step out or lean forward safely to assist customers
- Leave enough space for wheelchair users and mobility aids to approach
- Avoid shouting over customers who are deaf or hard of hearing; face them clearly when speaking
Accessibility is not only about wheelchair access. Consider customers with visual impairments, hearing loss, neurodivergence, mobility issues, fatigue, anxiety or medical conditions.
Build Accessibility Into Your Application
Many organisers ask about your equipment, power needs, gas use, frontage, queue style and menu. Treat this as a chance to show you are ready to operate professionally.
Include clear information about:
- Your stall dimensions, including any serving hatch or trailer door swing
- Gas, electrical and generator requirements
- How you manage queues during busy periods
- Whether you need space for ramps, mats or safe customer access
- Your plan for allergen communication
- Any staff training around inclusive customer service
Some events also restrict categories such as alcohol, hot drinks or bottled drinks. Check rules before finalising your menu, signage and stock order so you do not arrive with items you cannot sell.
Keep Safety and Food Compliance Aligned
Accessibility should sit alongside your normal food-safety systems. For example, do not create a lowered service point that risks cross-contamination, blocks handwashing access or puts hot equipment within reach of customers.
Review:
- Hot surfaces and fryer positioning
- Cable covers and trip hazards
- Safe LPG storage and ventilation
- Handwashing access
- Allergen controls and written information
- Clear separation between customer areas and prep areas
For food-safety basics, use the Food Standards Agency guidance for food businesses. For legal duties around reasonable adjustments, see gov.uk guidance on the Equality Act.
Train Your Team for Better Service
A good team briefing before service can prevent problems. Cover where accessible toilets are, how to support customers who need more time, what to do if a queue blocks a route, and who handles allergen questions.
Use respectful, practical language. Ask customers what they need rather than assuming. Never move someone’s mobility aid, guide dog space or personal items without permission.
After the Event, Improve the Setup
After each service, note what worked and what caused friction. Did menus need better lighting? Did the queue spill into a walkway? Were customers struggling to hear order numbers? These observations help you improve your pitch and show organisers you take inclusive trading seriously.
Accessible street food is not a box-ticking exercise. It is good hospitality, safer operations and better trading for everyone.