Manchester Albert Hall fail
I attended this venue a few weeks ago to watch Billy Talent (absolutely amazing band btw!) and hubby booked accessible tickets as always.
We get to the venue, go to the front as we are always told to do, to find out that there was a step into the venue but no ramp, events though we clearly stated on the email for accessible tickets that I’d be taking my scooter.
It gets worse…
Thankfully, I can manage a step or two so we listed the scooter into the venue. We were then told that they’re were no lifts…
We all had to be taken up 2 flights of stairs in a step wheelchair and had to leave my scooter, worth nearly £1,500 downstairs the whole time.
I have fibromyalgia which is chronic pain so I struggle to sit still, I stood up during the interval to which I was told to “Sit down or leave and stand at the back” who can possibly sit still for 4+ hours, let alone one with disabilities!
Then I found out there were no disabled accessible toilets..
Let’s just say I’ll not be going back….
Patty and Josh Grisdale4 Comments
That is horrible! Just shows that communication is the essential first step towards accessibility. I hope they learned that and your pain wasn’t in vain. Also, I trust your scooter was ok?
Billie Talent from Canada?!
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@Josh Grisdale the exact one!
I’m debating whether to send them an email about the issues
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I’m trying to remember if I saw them when I was back in Canada…
May as well, it might help for the next concert 🙂
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Liz I would send them a complaint, I can remember many years ago going to the National Portrait Gallery in London to see the Da Vinci Show and it was excellent but they were giving our headsets to people, I’m in a wheelchair and I got a little tired of asking people to step back from the exhibits so I could see☹, of course people were extremely apologetic as they didn’t see me coming. I came home incredibly disappointed as I’d paid the same money as they had, my late husband said why stew over it, why not write a letter to the Director of the Portrait Gallery and explain the situation. I duly wrote him a letter saying we just need a metre and a half and to his credit he wrote back and thanked me for my suggestion😀 . I have been back twice and am delighted to say that I haven’t had the same problem. I always think you SHOULD address the issue with the Management of the venue or else they won’t understand the issues around accessibility
