Accessibility in Actions, Making Everyone Welcome: An Interview with Kate McBirnie, Merlin Entertainments

Photo Credits: Alton Towers 

One of the biggest factors seeing a resurgence across the events industry is accessibility. Over the last few years, with pandemics and the wider, equally urgent, conversations on sustainability and climate change, accessibility has taken a back seat. Now it needs to return. 

The reality is though, that the conversation also needs to evolve. This is no longer about simple access - the industry cannot hide behind ramps and handles  - it needs to embrace every kind of need that it is presented with, including motor, sensory, and intellectual disabilities. If the truth was told; as an industry, we’re not where we should be, or where we want to be. 

That is what this series is all about. Not just looking at how we can do better or different as an industry, but how we can learn from others and break down barriers.

We were extraordinarily lucky to find some time with Kate McBirnie, UK Resorts Accessibility Manager at Merlin Entertainments, someone whose passion and understanding of the issue are as equally evident. In the UK the Merlin stable is made up of more than 30 attractions, including household names such as Alton Towers Resort, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, LEGOLAND® Resort, and Thorpe Park. It goes without saying that their UK Resorts house very different attractions and experiences, and as a result, welcome different demographics who all have unique and varying access needs and requirements.  

Kate says, “Everyone matters at Merlin and we want all of our people, no matter what attraction they are in, to enjoy the same level of service excellence and facilities to create memorable experiences.” It’s an impressive standpoint and an objective that the events industry has set itself as well. But how has Kate brought these ambitions to life? To learn more, we wanted to get to know Kate a little better.  

Although she has served in her current role since May 2023, Kate has been part of the Merlin family for many years having worked on enhancing the accessibility of Alton Towers Resort specifically since 2019. “Having been an operational manager with a passion for service satisfaction, there is no greater and humbling pleasure to provide positive change and experiences through the lens of accessibility, and to do that over multiple parks is a true honour,” she says.

Day-to-day Kate sees herself as a conductor of an orchestra, working alongside site leads to enhance staff training as well as facilities and operational processes at every point of the guest and employee journey. With her colleagues, she works closely with ride manufacturers, industry experts, and disability organisations to ensure everyone can safely enjoy their experiences. 

Kate McBirnie, UK Resorts Accessibility Manager

And it seems a consultative approach is key. There is no better place to learn and understand what staff and guests need than by asking them directly. “We are welcoming more people, with more disabilities than ever before, and as such, we are always listening and learning to ensure we continue to grow and learn from others who have lived experience. Guest and staff feedback continues to be our biggest asset here. 1 in 5 people in the UK have a disability, this shows how disability is growing and represents a large market that will be experiencing our attractions,” adds Kate. With the population of the UK at more than 67 million, the domestic disabled community constitutes in excess of 13 million people. That’s a huge market, that simply cannot be ignored. 

Once we understand what our guests need, the emphasis must move to training and education, and this goes far beyond simple accessibility knowledge. There is a need to organise timely and engaging training throughout the employee lifecycle that is more than just logistics, but instead also focuses on how to build confidence and have positive conversations with all guests as well as understand how to react to different accessibility needs and requirements. 

With so many crossovers between the world of visitor attractions and events and exhibitions, there are many transferable considerations and learnings that we can take. “We both operate a ‘live’ environment, and therefore the ability to react and adapt to any situation is crucial with fast thinking, common sense, and an understanding approach,” says Kate. 

What Kate believes sets Merlin apart is that the team are not afraid to innovate and push forward accessibility standards in the UK. This is often through the likes of partnerships with leading disability experts to create prototypes, re-write existing manufacturing guidelines to lift restrictions on attractions and experiences, as well as sourcing bespoke training, intrinsically linked to its internal brands. One brilliant example of how this is put into practice is the introduction of Makaton (sign-language) training for guests working within CBeebies Land. 

Photo Credits: Alton Towers 

Regular staff and visitor feedback is the key driver for change and has resulted in the installation of ‘changing places’ toilets, live British Sign Language shows, sensory and quiet spaces, and bespoke play equipment suitable for carers and even wheelchairs. Kate adds: “Merlin dedicates investment purely to enhancing the access needs of our guests and this allows us to continue pushing for excellence and, most importantly, ensure that accessibility continues to be built in, at the forefront of every business decision.” 

However, despite Merlin’s continued dedication to providing the best and most accessible experience possible, there is always room for improvement. In recent years the term ‘accessibility’ has broadened significantly and the challenges for neuro-divergent guests has undoubtedly become a key consideration. 

“As we have grown over the years, our focus has moved to inclusive design, using the social model of disability to design barrier-free environments from the get-go. Historically we focused on physical disabilities, however recently we are welcoming more and more guests with neurodiverse requirements in line with societal trends, and it is a key focus which has moved up the agenda. We are exploring autism accreditation standards, training, sensory guides, information, sensory rooms, quiet spaces, ear defender options and much more,” says Kate.

It seems the Merlin team is driven by the simple desire to offer the best and most inclusive experience to every one of their guests, as we all should be. Their guest-centred approach has helped to establish an innovative and forward-thinking agenda that event professionals could learn a huge amount from. 

It’s a model that is working, and that Merlin are sharing. 

So, what are Kate’s top tips for the events and exhibitions world to address accessibility:

• Listen, learn, and adapt. The best way to inform our decisions is to work with people with accessibility requirements and let them tell you what you to do/what works

• Consider the full guest journey from planning and pre-arrival, all the way through the experience and post visit experience too

• Employee training – it’s not just product knowledge, it’s confidence, it’s a human approach, and it’s also how we can communicate with our guests in many different ways across multiple platforms to enhance a guests day experience 

• Remember that accessibility should be built into everything  - we do not bolt-on