The aha Forum, in Partnership with Thomas Franks, returns home to London on Tuesday 9 June 2026 at Barings, 20 Old Bailey, City of London.
As the home of aha Forums, London is where the conversation began, and where it continues to evolve. While attendees travel from across the UK and further afield, it is here that hospitality leaders come together to consider how action in accessibility can be accelerated.
Since the first forums in London in June and November 2025, followed by the recent international forum in Malta, the direction of travel is clear: what began as exploration is now taking shape as meaningful change.
That shift is most evident in the growth of Accessible Hospitality Alliance membership.
A growing number of hospitality businesses, recognised as leaders within their respective sectors, are now part of a fast-growing community actively progressing accessibility within their organisations.
Their involvement is changing the dynamic of the forums. The June gathering will bring together operators not only considering accessibility but working with it in practice.
Each member organisation will be represented, typically through their appointed Access Champion. These individuals carry responsibility for embedding accessibility across the full experience of their business, from environment to operation, for both guests and colleagues.
The forums are shaped by shared experience, where people living with disabilities and operators exchange insight, challenge assumptions, and collaborate on progress already underway.
For those attending, the value is in being inside the room, not reading about it.
The aha Forum format remains deliberately structured. Lived experience grounds discussion, followed by guided table reflection and leadership dialogue that connects insight to decision-making. This progression will again shape the June gathering.
Hosted at Barings in the City of London, the forum sits within a setting associated with long-term thinking and investment. An appropriate location as accessibility becomes more clearly understood as a fundamental driver of business performance.
Frank Bothwell, Founder of Thomas Franks and member of Accessible Hospitality Alliance’s Advisory Board, reflected on the next forum saying: “We are pleased to welcome guests to Barings for The aha Forum.
“Our relationship with Barings has made this possible, and it reflects something we value highly at Thomas Franks and Accessible Hospitality Alliance: working in environments where people feel authentically welcomed, both as guests and as colleagues.”
Denis Sheehan, Managing Director of Accessible Hospitality Alliance, said: “London is where aha Forums began, and remains our home.
“What is changing is who is in the room. We are seeing growing operator membership, with change already underway and a clear intention to lead the way forward in accessibility.
“That changes the nature of the dialogue. There is now real experience to draw upon, what has been done, what is working, and what comes next.
“We welcome more operators to join us on 9 June and be part of a community making meaningful change.”
The aha Forum, in Partnership with Thomas Franks, will take place at Barings, 20 Old Bailey, City of London, on Tuesday 9 June 2026.
Attendance is open exclusively to hospitality and catering operators.
A limited number of tickets are available at £295 + VAT, complete the form here and one of the aha team will respond promptly.