Chrissy is one of those badass women you meet on the streets of Melbourne, with crazy coloured hair and tights patterned like medieval armour. She has a black belt in karate, a giant tattoo of a dragon on her back, a PHD in criminology, and a purple wheelchair she occasionally uses to get around.

I caught up with Chrissy at Kirk’s Wine Bar for a smashed avocado toast brunch, as any respectable Melburnian would do.

Michelle: So why did you pick Kirk’s Wine Bar to meet at?

Chrissy: Kirks is my favourite place. It tends to be quieter than most places (although they seem to have turned up the background music today, and it’s a bit busier than it usually is). If it’s too noisy I find it really hard to focus on the conversation and I tend to zone in and out. There’s also only one step, which means I can get in if I’m using my walking stick, and I can sit outside when I’m using my wheelchair. There’s good quality food and it works for breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks so it’s really flexible.  

My disability is unpredictable and sporadic – it’s not a static accessibility status. With a lot of other restaurants in Melbourne, I can only get in if I happen to have a good day and I can use my walking stick. Because I can get into Kirk’s irrespective of my ability, I can make plans in advance and I don’t need to change my plans at the drop of a hat.

Michelle: What situations have you been in where you’ve had to change your plans?

Chrissy: There was this one time where I attempted to manage the situation and it all went pear shaped. I had a dinner planned at a restaurant on Lygon Street, so I called in advance to ask if it was accessible. They said yes. So I turned up, and the seating was up a flight of stairs. It was definitely not accessible. The staff on the phone had said that it was because they thought ‘accessible’ meant ‘close to public transport’. I ended up going somewhere else to eat.

Michelle: How did that situation make you feel?

Chrissy: I felt frustrated and silly. When you have access needs, you have to plan in advance. It means that people with disabilities are really good strategic planners out of necessity. This whole situation made me feel pretty crap.

It’s the same when other people plan events. I had to attend an engagement party that was up a flight of stairs. An elderly attendee struggled to get up, and I had to be carried in. it was humiliating and I was really angry that they hadn’t thought about access needs.

I would have liked to have been told about the stairs in advance. Finding accessible venues is difficult, and I would have understood if they couldn’t find a fully accessible place.

Michelle: Melbourne has a lot of heritage buildings where the entrances are tiny and have stairs, as well as a strong laneway culture where restaurants and bars are behind hidden doors in dodgy places. How do you feel about the proliferation of inaccessible restaurants and bars?

Chrissy: I’m a proud Melbourne city slicker. I love the atmosphere, the vibe, the brunches and the bars.

However, it’s not as inclusive as it should be. I would like more than five options for drinks. Even Kirk’s Wine Bar does not have an online menu so my colleague who is blind can’t find out what’s on the menu. In many ways Melbourne is an exclusive place for the privileged few.

I love the Melbourne that brings people together into an inclusive community and would love for that to be reflected in all aspects of the city, including its restaurants and cafes. .

Michelle: What are your top few things that you want all restaurants to have?

Chrissy: I want businesses to realise that inclusion is in their best interests and it makes good business sense. For example, I had to wait a whole year before I was able enough to walk upstairs to get to my exercise physiologists (EP). I’ve told my EP that I couldn’t recommend them to some of my friends because my friends wouldn’t be able to get up the stairs to see them. They’re now looking to move into more accessible premises, so that’s really good.

People with disabilities are very loyal customers because the know that the restaurant works for them, and that the restaurant practices the values that they hold dear.

I want Melbourne to ask the question, “Who are we?” “What is Melbourne”? Is it an exclusive place for a select privileged few, or is it an inclusive city for everyone?

I want businesses to have the right infrastructure in place.

At the bare minimum, I want to know that the restaurant has thought about accessibility. I want businesses to have information available on their website so people with disabilities can make decisions for themselves about whether they can go or not instead of just hoping for the best.

Takeaway box

Do you run a restaurant? What can you take away from this interview?

• Accessibility makes good business sense. Being inclusive means that you will gain more loyal customers.
• Make sure your staff understand what accessibility means.
• If you know your restaurant is up a flight or stairs or otherwise not accessible, make that clear upfront on your website so that people can make an informed decision
• Put your menu on your website so that people with vision impairments can find out what’s on your menu, and other customers can plan what they want to order in advance.

Featured restaurant: Kirk’s Wine Bar

Address: 46 Hardware Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

Opening hours: 7:30 am to 11pm on weekdays, 9am to 11pm on weekends

Getting there: Kirk’s Wine Bar is five to ten minutes walk from Melbourne Central Station or Elizabeth/Bourke Street tram stop.

Physical access:

Kirk’s Wine Bar has a small door that faces onto Hardware Lane. There is a single step up the threshold. Inside the venue is a bit cramped with lots of small tables and chairs. There is a spiral staircase that goes downwards, but it is staff access only and doesn’t really go anywhere.

There are tables and chairs under an awning outside. Hardware Lane has lots of cobblestones.

Information access:

Kirk’s has a website that has their contact details and their social media links, but no menu. The menu is on a piece of paper. When I went there it had the standard brunch fare of avocado on toast, muesli with yoghurt and croissants.

Sensory access:

Kirk’s Wine Bar is usually relatively quiet. It does have background music, and when the venue is full it can be quite noisy.

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