Platform Lift for Shops and Restaurants
Steps at the door, a mezzanine, toilets down a flight of stairs: how shops, cafés and restaurants use platform lifts to welcome every customer.
What the law expects
Under the Equality Act 2010, businesses that serve the public must make reasonable adjustments so disabled customers aren’t put at a substantial disadvantage. The duty is anticipatory: you’re expected to think ahead about disabled customers in general, not wait until someone is turned away. Where a physical feature such as steps is the problem, a business is expected to take reasonable steps to remove it, alter it, find a way round it, or provide the service another way.
What counts as reasonable depends on the size of the business, the cost and the practicality — but a lift is often the most effective adjustment where steps are the main barrier.
Where shops and restaurants use platform lifts
Location | Lift type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Steps at the entrance | Step lift | The most common and most important fix |
Split-level shop floor | Step lift | Joins two trading levels a few steps apart |
Raised seating area or bar | Step lift | Lets all customers choose where to sit |
Basement or first-floor toilets | Incline platform lift | Runs along the existing stair and folds away |
Mezzanine or upper sales floor | Incline or enclosed platform lift | Depends on the stair width and space available |
Toilets on another floor are a common problem in older premises. If the toilets aren’t accessible, the rest of the access work loses much of its value.
Options for tight premises
Space is money in retail and hospitality, so the footprint of a lift matters.
Incline platform lifts follow the stairs you already have and fold flat against the wall when not in use, so they take almost no floor space. In a restaurant, that can mean keeping a table you’d otherwise lose. The Garaventa Artira is a common choice for restaurants for this reason.
Step lifts need a small footprint beside the steps. Some can be set into the floor for a flush finish.
Portable step lifts can be brought out when needed and stored away, which suits pop-ups, events and rented units. See our portable vertical platform lift guide.
A ramp is the other option, but even a short rise needs a long run at a gentle gradient — often more space than a shop entrance has. Our platform lift vs ramp comparison sets out the trade-offs.
Need step-free access for your premises?
Tell us about the steps or stairs and how much space you have, and we’ll match you with vetted installers who can survey the premises and recommend the right lift. Free to you, with no obligation.
→ Enquire about a lift for your business
Practical points for businesses
Independent use. Customers should be able to use the lift without having to ask. Clear signage and an easy-to-use call point help.
Staff training. Make sure staff know how the lift works and what to do if it stops.
Opening hours. A key switch lets you stop the lift being used when the premises are closed.
Rented units. You’ll usually need the landlord’s consent. A portable or easily removable lift can make that conversation easier.
Historic premises. Many high-street shops are listed or in conservation areas. See our guide to a platform lift for listed buildings.
Inspections. A lift used by customers and staff at a workplace needs regular servicing and LOLER thorough examinations, typically every six months.
What it costs
Lift type | From (installed) |
|---|---|
Step lift | £6,389 |
Incline platform lift | £8,000 |
Enclosed platform lift | £10,000 |
Starting prices for supply and installation. Shopfronts and older premises can add builder’s work, so a survey gives the firm figure. See our disabled platform lifts prices guide.
For offices and other public buildings, see our commercial platform lift guide, and for staircases specifically, our wheelchair platform lift for stairs guide.
Arrange a survey
The right lift for your premises depends on the steps, the stairs, the space and how the business runs. A survey settles it, free and with no obligation. Tell us about your premises and we’ll match you with vetted installers who cover your area. Installers pay us only when we refer a genuine enquiry, so our interest is in matching you well.
