A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND councillor has hit out at the ‘“disgraceful”’ lack of disabled access to shops in Clitheroe.

CllrCoun Simon O’Rourke, who serves on the town council, said there were a number of stores in the town that wheelchair users could not enter as there is no disabled access.

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He said he wanted to speak out after the new Fat Face store opened in the centre of the town in the former Victoria Pub.

The building, which was empty after the pub closed down in 2011, is Grade II-listed and officially reopened to the public earlier this month.

CllrCoun O’Rourke said that he would still be forced to travel out of the town to visit a Fat Face store as a step barred his entrance to the shop and the men’s section was on the first floor with and there is no disabled lift access.

He said: “I think it’s just disgraceful that there are a number of stores in the town that are closed to wheelchair users.

“It’s not right in this day and age and something should be done about it.

“I understand that there might be restrictions because of the listed building status but I want to know if anything can be done to change that.

“Could anything be done by Ribble Valley Borough Council at the planning stage to impose conditions on companies to provide disabled access. “It dramatically reduces the number of shops that wheelchair users can go to and that’s not good for the town.”

His calls have been endorsed by local shop owners who have said that another look should be taken at the planning laws.

Kevin Horkin, who owns four shops in the town centre, said: “My Lady Clitheroe store is about to swap locations with my Spex Opticians practice largely because of disabled access problems. “At the opticians there are two steps up to the door so people in wheelchairs can’t get in easy without a ramp.

“We are in the 21st Century and it’s about time that we started to challenge the status quo. “Small businesses in Clitheroe do what they can to be compatible with all customers but sometimes it’s just not possible.

“Bristol and Chester are both historic places and have many old and listed buildings in their centres.

“This is a situation shared with Clitheroe and means that it’s hard, and sometimes impossible, for shops to modify their stores the way that they need to to create disabled access because of the tight planning and listing regulations. “We should look at them again and see what can be done.”

No one from Fat Face was available for comment.