Councillor's Personal Experience with Guide Dog Refusals Leads to Brent Council Initiative
Liberal Democrat councillor Hannah Matin has revealed she has been refused entry to businesses "a number of times" alongside her guide dog Wendy, describing these incidents as a "stark reminder of the everyday barriers" faced by people with disabilities. The Alperton ward representative, who qualified for her assistance dog in 2021 due to retinoblastoma, a rare but curable eye cancer, has made raising awareness about access rights a central focus of her work since being elected to Brent Council in 2022.
The Costa Coffee Incident That Sparked Action
Cllr Matin shared that her first access refusal occurred shortly after getting Wendy in summer 2021, when she was denied entry 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," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "That was the moment I told myself, 'I will one day do something to make a difference'." Rather than being an isolated occurrence, Matin explained this pattern has repeated at various premises, though she attributes it primarily to lack of awareness about assistance dogs and legal requirements.
Alarming Statistics on Access Refusals
Research conducted by Guide Dogs' Open Doors survey in 2024 revealed that nearly 90 percent of guide dog owners have been refused access to premises including hospitality venues and shops. The survey involved 273 people who were either current guide dog owners or had been in the 12 months prior. Simultaneously, a separate 2024 YouGov survey of 2,060 adults found that 72 percent of people working directly with customers report they have not received training or information on the rights of assistance dog owners.
Guide Dogs UK stated this figure "underscores the need for better education and awareness," noting that experiences of being refused access "can have a negative impact on people's confidence and their lives." The charity emphasized that it is almost always illegal under the Equality Act 2010 for businesses to refuse access to assistance dogs, yet many people continue to face what Matin describes as "the indignity of being turned away" from services.
Brent Council's New Enforcement Initiative
Thanks to Cllr Matin's advocacy with support from Guide Dogs UK, Brent Council is now implementing a new initiative to address access refusals. The program ensures any access refusals reported to Guide Dogs or other Assistance Dogs UK member organizations can be flagged to Brent Council's Licensing Department, which will then write to businesses to remind them of their legal obligations.
"The aim is to ensure businesses understand their responsibilities," Matin explained. "It is a simple yet powerful way to raise awareness and encourage compliance. By adopting this model we can help ensure that no assistance dog users have to face the indignity of being turned away, simply for having an assistance dog."
Industry Response and Broader Implications
Adam Marsh, Policy and Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs UK, commented: "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 responded: "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."
Cllr Matin is now calling for other boroughs to follow Brent's example, hoping to create a broader movement to protect the rights of assistance dog users across London and beyond. The initiative represents a significant step toward ensuring businesses comply with accessibility laws and create genuinely inclusive environments for all customers.
