Improving access information and changing attitudes is key to providing a better experience for disabled customers coming to Largs when the £12m parasports centre opens in April 2017.

The Largs BID business improvement group is hoping to bring all businesses in the town up to speed for the expected influx of disabled customers over the years.

The BID have been working closely with Inverclyde Sports Centre principal John Kent, and recently invited 'News' Access All Areas columnist Zoe Maclean to a trip around Largs town centre to better understand the issues.

John Hamilton said: "When Inverclyde is back up and running again in 2017, there is going to be 60 all adaptable twin rooms, and 120 people staying, and all their support teams are going to be in guest houses,and B and Bs in town.

"We are trying to encourage businesses to make sure they have better access and ready. The capital costs can be high, so we are looking at up what we can give people as assistance in terms of grants. I have had a meeting with Visit Scotland - they have got a manager who works with them who looks at tourism from a disabled view who is a great help. They did a lot of work during the Commonwealth Games and received a lot of facts and figures, and when they did research, they found that access was not necessarily the main issue, it was the attitudes that was the number one concern.

"Disabled people are not getting treated well, and some of the attitudes which they have experienced is shocking, and they are seen as being a problem. We just need people to have a good experience when they come to Largs - that is our overall aim."

Vice-chairman of the Largs BID committee Toni Dawson added: "It is not just about people in wheelchairs, it is people with hearing and seeing difficulties, and other mobility issues."

John added: "We had a meeting with Zoe Maclean to fill her in with our meeting with Visit Scotland.

"Street ambassadors Val Gumley and Yvonne Prager then had a walk around town on a shopping tour, and it was a familiarisation process, to help our understanding of the situation, and Zoe took us round and gave examples such as she can't get into Boots because of the step, but a member of staff has to come out to see her, and she needs to get served in the street. So we did that as a fact finding mission, and Visit Scotland have offered to do a workshop in Largs with businesses, and it is not about solely addressing access, it is about buying into a business opportunity, and addressing your business in the right way.

"Disabled people need to spend money, and if you address your business in the right way, they will come to you instead of going somewhere else.

"The workshop will raise awareness of the attitude factor which is such a big thing."

John stated that another important factor for disabled customers is information, and it was important to make everyone aware of access to their businesses, and if there were any difficulties in some cases they can be overcome if customers know in advance, and are therefore better prepared.