Several of Scotland’s major tourist attractions are failing to cater for the needs of people with hearing loss, a charity has warned.
Mystery visitors from Action on Hearing Loss Scotland found only three out of 21 venues Stirling Castle, The McManus in Dundee and St Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art in Glasgow had working hearing loops at their main ticket or information point.
The charity says working loops are essential to amplify speech over background noise for people who wear hearing aids.
Venues were also assessed and scored by the mystery visitors on whether staff demonstrated that they were deaf aware, and the overall accessibility of the attraction for people with hearing loss.
Although the National Museum of Scotland and Holyrood Palace did not have working loops, the mystery visitors considered the two Edinburgh venues and Stirling Castle to have the most accessible overall experience.
Melrose Abbey in the Scottish Borders, the Scotch Whisky Experience and Our Dynamic Earth, both in Edinburgh, the Falkirk Wheel and the Robert Burns Museum in South Ayrshire were considered to be the least accessible.
Robin Wickes, who wears hearing aids and lives in Edinburgh, said: “A working loop at the ticket or information desk has a huge impact on whether I decide to continue with my visits to tourist attractions.
“All tourist attractions should show that they value my custom by making sure reasonable adjustments are made for my hearing loss.”