A North London councillor has spoken of the “stark reminder of the everyday barriers” people with disabilities face after being repeatedly refused entry to businesses with her guide dog.
It is almost always illegal, under the Equality Act 2010, for businesses to refuse access, however many people continue to face this “indignity”, said Cllr Hanna Matin.
The Liberal Democrat representative for Alperton ward qualified for her guide dog, Wendy, in 2021 due to her having retinoblastoma – a rare but curable eye cancer. Since being elected to Brent Council in 2022 she has focused on raising awareness of the issue among local businesses.
Thanks to Cllr Matin, with support from Guide Dogs UK, Brent Council is now rolling out a new initiative to crack down on businesses refusing access to assistance dogs.
It wasn’t long after getting Wendy that Cllr Matin experienced her first access refusal, which has helped fuel her subsequent campaign work to prevent other assistance dog users having to face “the indignity of being turned away” from hospitality venues, shops and other services.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Cllr Matin said: “In the summer of 2021, I was denied access to sit inside the Costa Coffee on Wembley High Road. I was quite shocked as Costa is such a well established chain across the country. That was the moment I told myself, ‘I will one day do something to make a difference’.”
Rather than this being an isolated occurrence, Cllr Matin explained that this has happened “a number of times” at various premises. However, she puts this down to a lack of awareness of either what an access dog is or the laws businesses must follow.
Research conducted by Guide Dogs’ Open Doors survey in 2024 – which involved 273 people who were either current guide dog owners or had been in the 12 months prior – revealed that nearly 90 per cent of guide dog owners have been refused access to premises including hospitality venues and shops.
At the same time, another 2024 survey carried out by YouGov – which involved 2,060 adults – found that 72 per cent of people working directly with customers or service users report they have not been provided with training or information on the rights of assistance dog owners. Guide Dogs UK said this figure “underscores the need for better education and awareness”.
The charity said these experiences of being refused access “can have a negative impact on people’s confidence and their lives”.
Working alongside Brent Council and Guide Dogs UK, Cllr Matin’s new initiative ensures any access refusals reported to Guide Dogs – or any other Assistance Dogs UK member organisation – can be flagged to Brent Council’s Licencing Department, who will then write to the business to remind them of their legal duties.
Cllr Matin said: “The aim is to ensure businesses understand their responsibilities. It is a simple yet powerful way to raise awareness and encourage compliance. By adopting this model we can help ensure that no […] users have to face the indignity of being turned away, simply for having an assistance dog.”
Policy and Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs UK, Adam Marsh, said: “Educating businesses and service providers on the law is a vital step in reducing the number of assistance dog owners experiencing illegal access refusals.
“This new approach provides a model as to how local authorities can help raise awareness about the rights of assistance dog owners and help make their communities more inclusive and welcoming to all.”
A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: “At Costa Coffee we welcome all customers, including those with assistance dogs, who are welcome in all of our stores at all times. In 2024, following a successful trial, we also updated our policy to welcome well-behaved dogs into many of our stores.
“While this specific incident dates back several years, we continue to provide clear guidance and training to our teams to ensure all customers can access and feel included in our stores, where we aim to create a warm and welcoming environment.”
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
