Blind man sues British Museum over lack of audio tours for Bayeux Tapestry

Blind Man Sues British Museum for Lack of Bayeux Tapestry Audio Tours

Legal Challenge Over Accessibility at the British Museum

Background of the Lawsuit

LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The British Museum is facing legal action over its Bayeux Tapestry exhibition, with lawyers representing a blind man alleging the museum is breaching equalities laws by not providing audio described tours.

Dr Yusuf Ali Osman asked the museum whether live audio described tours would be provided for the long-awaited exhibition of the nearly 1,000-year-old embroidery, which depicts the conquest of England by William I in 1066.

Museum's Response and Policies

But, Osman's lawyers say, the British Museum said it would not be providing such audio tours as restrictions on the tapestry's light exposure limit the number of visitors, meaning the museum was prioritising self-guided visits.

Alleged Breach of Equality Act

Osman says the museum's decision is a breach of the Equality Act, as he is discriminated against compared to sighted visitors, and is seeking damages and a court order requiring the British Museum to amend its policies.

The British Museum did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Statements from Involved Parties

Dr Yusuf Ali Osman's Perspective

"I want to be able to visit the Bayeux Tapestry and experience it for myself," Osman said in a statement.

"I understand that there are important restrictions around how the tapestry is displayed, but it is disappointing to find that blind visitors are not being offered an audio described way of experiencing it."

Legal Representation's View

His lawyer, Kate Egerton from the firm Leigh Day, said: "The Equality Act places obligations on service providers to anticipate the needs of disabled people and take reasonable steps to avoid substantial disadvantage.

"Our client is asking for the same opportunity as sighted visitors to experience this exhibition."

Popularity and Impact of the Exhibition

The exhibition of the 70-metre-long tapestry, which allows ticket-holders 40 minutes to view it from an elevated platform, has been hugely popular. The first batch of tickets sold out and generated nearly £2.5 million ($3.32 million).

($1 = 0.7536 pounds)

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Heavens)