Calcot disabled woman's 'anger' after The Avenue Deli blocks ramp

When 49-year-old Emma Pottinger’s life was changed by a painful nerve disorder, she found her “freedom and independence” restored by a mobility scooter, which she has used to access shops in Calcot for nine years.

But access to her local newsagents in Royal Avenue has been obstructed since January 12, when owners of The Avenue Deli began creating a fenced outside seating area for their customers.

“I feel angry,” said Ms Pottinger, who suffers from complex regional pain syndrome, which causes persistent debilitating pain in her arms, legs and back.

“I don’t understand how a pavement can belong to them.”

She continued: “When you are disabled you’ve already had your life changed and had things taken away from you, so when my brother bought me my mobility scooter, it was like a bit of independence again.

“But now it’s spoilt because I can’t go wherever I want.”

Mobility scooter user Emma Pottinger, from Calcot, who lives with complex regional pain syndrome

The final fence panel was installed on the weekend of January 29, rendering the newsagents inaccessible to Ms Pottinger.

Owner of The Avenue Deli Simi Sandhu said that before erecting the fencing, she had asked neighbouring businesses to contribute to the cost of a ramp but they declined.

“I completely accept what she [Ms Pottinger] is saying and I can understand how it has affected her,” she said.

“It was never done in a malicious kind of way."

The pavement at Royal Avenue before the construction and inset, the partial obstruction as of January 12

“We’ve had so much customer support for what we’ve done and how we’ve made it into a really lovely spot now."

Asked why she and her husband decided to build the structure before putting a ramp in place, Mrs Sandhu said: “I can’t really comment on that.”

After the Reading Chronicle contacted the building’s property manager, Sovereign Housing Association, they investigated the site today (February 8).

The full fencing completed around January 29

A spokesperson for Sovereign said: “We feel that the structure is an asset to the café and the community, creating a heated outdoor seating area which will be appreciated by covid cautious customers.”

“However, we agree the disabled access is blocked and that this should be rectified.

“Our Commercial Property Manager met with our tenant’s builder on site, and we have agreed he will install a ramp, so access is restored to the convenience store.

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“This ramp will be funded by The Avenue Deli and installed as soon as possible.”

A spokesperson for West Berkshire Council said: “No recent planning applications or enquiries have been made for the premises. 

“The Council will investigate to ascertain whether planning permission, or any other consent from the Local Authority, is required, and respond accordingly.”