A blind TUC delegate is urging Brighton restaurant owners to be more sympathetic towards the visually impaired after he was refused entry to two Indian restaurants.

David Sheridan has reported the two restaurants, the Bombay Indian Cuisine and the Viceroy of India Tandoori, both in Preston Street, to the Disability Rights Commission, after they refused him and his dog entry.

The delegates from the college lecturers union, NATFHE, refused to eat at the restaurants unless David was allowed in with his dog Sasha, a retriever.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, restaurants and other public establishments must allow blind people and their dogs into premises.

Paula Lanning, head of communications for the union, said: "It was extremely embarrassing for David and his party when they were refused entry to these two restaurants.

"Brighton is a conference town and you would have expected them to have a more tolerant attitude towards the blind and their dogs. I hope both these restaurants will think again.

"It is no good Brighton advertising itself as an all-inclusive resort when it does not make its facilities all inclusive."

David, who lives and works in Birmingham, said: "I don't get this kind of problem in Birmingham. And to be fair, other restaurants in Brighton were very good but these two Indian restaurants refused us entry. I was told at the Viceroy of India that I was not being allowed to bring Sasha in on religious grounds.

"I was told I could come back if I took my dog back to my hotel and returned without him but I was not going leave him in a strange room in a strange place. In any case, we go everywhere together and I regard Sasha as my partner.

"Sasha is a well trained dog and no problem. I was very surprised at the attitude of these two restaurants. I had the full support of my colleagues, who refused to eat at the restaurants if I was not with them.

"For the sake of the reputation of Brighton these two restaurants have got to be more tolerant towards guide dogs. They will be getting letters from the Disability Rights Commission which will ask them why they refused permission."

A manager at Bombay Indian Cuisine said: "Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant on hygiene grounds."

When told it was against the law to refuse entry to guide dogs, he replied angrily: "I do not know that law."

A spokesman for the Viceroy of India said: "I don't know what happened on the night the party arrived. We don't get anybody with guide dogs walking in here."