For wheelchair-users and visually-impaired people there’s mixed news about how accessible Órgiva is. The fact that most of its streets are sloped doesn’t help but the majority are gentle to average inclines, so are do-able. Because of sloping streets, and steps needed to level an entrance, many establishments do not have easy access. But rest assured, there are plenty of places that are accessible.
To their shame, banks are inaccessible (except Caja Rural) and this includes the absence of any low-level cashpoints/ATMs. It seems that several bars and shops could be made more accessible – we don’t know why they’re not. In fairness, the age and design of certain buildings means it’s nigh on impossible to make them wheelchair-friendly.
At traffic lights there are no audible signals to alert visually-impaired people when they can cross.
Órgiva’s town planners have littered the pavements on Calle Doctor Fleming with cannonballs. Make your own mind up about those.
Places with better access for wheelchair-users – with step-free entrances (or a very small step) but not necessarily disabled toilets, include: the internal market (which includes the fishmonger), all the supermarkets – Coviran, Dia and Supermercado Alpujarra (exception is La Despensa de Órgiva), the post office, medical centre, main pharmacy, library, main car park, town hall and church.
Accessible bars, restaurants and shops include: El Viejo Molino, Baraka (both get gold stars for also having a disabled toilet), Hotel Taray, Camping Órgiva, Imagine Bar, Café Willendorf, Hotel Mirasol, Alma Alpujarra (hotel/bar), DeCurtis café, Tara (clothes shop), most places in the internal market (including Café Bar Terraza), Modas Hacia Bella (clothes shop) and the shop that sells everything.
Of course, such is the street life here, it’s easy to be outside enjoying the sun – it’s just getting to the loo that could prove a problem. Let’s hope more places make adjustments so more people can enjoy them.
We may have left some places out, so please let us know. Many of these places can be found on our maps.
We’ll investigate some accessible routes in and around Órgiva and report back.
A right old balls-up?
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con jamón spain 
Isn’t the issue the EU Directive rather than nation state laws? Organisations/shops/employers etc may do their best to comply but if they cannot because of the physical issues, it’s not against the law. Give them a break (btw LAs in London vary as to how disability friendly their pedestrian crossings are).
Posted by Dead Woman Walks | July 13, 2014, 8:59 pmMore research needed, clearly.
Posted by con jamón spain | July 13, 2014, 10:04 pmLatvia has a long way to go in this respect also – there are stairs everywhere! Definitely not easy.
Posted by Expat Eye | July 13, 2014, 6:47 pmSomeone in a wheelchair was recently telling me that she had to see the doctor in a corridor, as she couldn’t get into his room.
Posted by alisonsye | July 13, 2014, 9:35 amIn the UK? Sounds like that’s against the law.
Posted by con jamón spain | July 13, 2014, 9:44 amYes here. I’m sure it probably is against the law.
Posted by alisonsye | July 13, 2014, 12:57 pmYes, here. I’m sure it is against the law
Posted by alisonsye | July 14, 2014, 6:52 pmWhat was the Disability Discrimination Act (since superseded by the Equalities Act). In short, a service should not discriminate against a disabled person. So if an adjustment can be made, for example, step-free access into a bank it should, by law, be implemented.
Many businesses do not need to be ‘given a break’ – in the UK or Spain.
Posted by con jamón spain | July 14, 2014, 6:58 pmIndeed!
Posted by alisonsye | July 14, 2014, 8:48 pmI suppose the cannonballs are to separate the pavement and the road but they do look a bit odd!
Posted by Wendy Kate | July 13, 2014, 9:30 amYes (and to prevent cars parking presumably). Stepping backwards to allow someone else to pass is when they become most hazardous.
Posted by con jamón spain | July 13, 2014, 9:45 amI nearly gained a disability in Orgiva because of those cannonballs.
Posted by C and E | July 13, 2014, 9:17 amWe think the whole town’s population must have come a cropper at some stage tripping over them…
Posted by con jamón spain | July 13, 2014, 9:18 am