A disabled woman says she was left close to tears after missing the start of an AO Arena gig over what she called ‘farcical’ seating arrangements.
Gill Singh, who uses a scooter due to her spina bifida condition, went to the Duran Duran show on April 29 with a friend who travelled up from Kent. On arriving at the Arena, Gill claims she was searched heavily, told she would be unable to take her medication in, and believes there was confusion over disabled seating arrangements.
The 55-year-old says the experience ‘blew my mind how bad it was’ and left her ‘trying not to cry’. A representative for the Arena has apologised to Gill, the M.E.N. understands.
READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community
“I got there and they made me take off my coat in the search,” Gill explained. “They looked in my pockets, they ran their hands up and down again on my back. They went through my bag and the bag at the back of the scooter.
“I had some blister packs in there, they were fine with those. My medication is in dose boxes, so I can take each day’s out with me. That had my usual medication [but] because it was not in its original packet, we had a struggle. I was happy to give it over and get it back at the end.
"They did not want to do that because of everyone leaving together. In the end they said I need to bring my original packets next time.”
After Gill and her pal cleared security, the pair grabbed a drink at the bar while a support act was on. Gill’s friend then checked out the area they were supposed to be in, she said.
“My friend checked the area and she said it could not be right because it was full,” she went on. “We spoke to someone in a yellow shirt who said we were in the right place, but he will need a supervisor.
“At the same time, a supervisor came out with a woman in a ski boot after she had been told to stand behind her companion. That argument did not look to be coming to an end, so he took us to the queue we needed to get in.
“He said this is the queue you need to join to complain your seats are not free. It took us 20 minutes to get to the front. The girl took my tickets off me and she asked ‘could you have booked in the wrong name?’. I said I have the tickets here. In the end she asked someone to help us.”
Following that, another supervisor ‘took us back to the area we should have been in’, Gill added. She said: “He walked us along there and said to this guy, ‘would you mind moving to sit behind your friend?’.
“He said I can go in this space. I asked where my friend should go. He said all companions sit behind. I looked to my left and no one else was.
“It was farcical. My friend had to keep moving every time somebody got up.
“Other people were put in front of the doorway. That did not feel good, if there was a fire. It was not blocking the stairs, but nobody on our little landing could get out that way.”
The experience left Gill ‘tearful’, she said. “I got angry and when I get angry, I get tearful. I was trying not to cry. We did enjoy the show but it was marred by the beginning. It blew my mind how bad it was.”
The AO Arena has declined to comment.
Get the latest headlines here.
READ NEXT:
