1.5
They tried, but fell quite short
First off: the booking of the access tickets felt unnecessarily complicated, and once I had booked I didn’t quite feel that the venue appreciated or understood my needs. All I asked was for ‘extra legroom’, and they didn’t understand what that was, asking ‘what is extra legroom?’.
Secondly - the “viewing platform” is essentially just a roped off area of the very busy standing balcony area. The security guard was trying his best to keep the space clear for disabled guests, but it really needed to be better managed - as it was also used as a thoroughfare for guestlist ticket holders to access the artist boxes. Once the show began, the security guard must have disappeared because there were suddenly standing crowds around me where I was sat, and some guests sat on the floor right behind my chair, which was really restrictive as I needed to be able to move my chair for extra legroom at points. It also felt incredibly unsafe.
The person looking after us was a medic with an ambulance crew uniform. He was lovely, really caring and explained the situation as I wanted to at least be near my friends who weren’t allowed to join me in the access area. They did it so they were standing next to me on the other side of the rope. I got the feeling that the medic was really trying to accommodate as many people as possible - as it seemed a few guests turned up with General Admission not realising it was a fully standing show which had sold out.
I really wished venues like Koko would think of putting more effort and consideration into their accessibility - and hired disabled consultants who might be able to advise on how their access system could be overhauled so that disabled guests have a better experience, but also that they aren’t overwhelmed by issues that could so easily be resolved way before the show.
My main advise is to fully lock off an area for guests with disabilities - and not use it as a thoroughfare nor allow other guests who do not require access (or are not PA’s / Carers) to use that space. I think there needs to be greater management and security of that space, throughout the show. There needs to be a better system at the booking stage for customers with disabilities, and greater understanding of the needs and accommodations of guests with access requirements.
First off: the booking of the access tickets felt unnecessarily complicated, and once I had booked I didn’t quite feel that the venue appreciated or understood my needs. All I asked was for ‘extra legroom’, and they didn’t understand what that was, asking ‘what is extra legroom?’.
Secondly - the “viewing platform” is essentially just a roped off area of the very busy standing balcony area. The security guard was trying his best to keep the space clear for disabled guests, but it really needed to be better managed - as it was also used as a thoroughfare for guestlist ticket holders to access the artist boxes. Once the show began, the security guard must have disappeared because there were suddenly standing crowds around me where I was sat, and some guests sat on the floor right behind my chair, which was really restrictive as I needed to be able to move my chair for extra legroom at points. It also felt incredibly unsafe.
The person looking after us was a medic with an ambulance crew uniform. He was lovely, really caring and explained the situation as I wanted to at least be near my friends who weren’t allowed to join me in the access area. They did it so they were standing next to me on the other side of the rope. I got the feeling that the medic was really trying to accommodate as many people as possible - as it seemed a few guests turned up with General Admission not realising it was a fully standing show which had sold out.
I really wished venues like Koko would think of putting more effort and consideration into their accessibility - and hired disabled consultants who might be able to advise on how their access system could be overhauled so that disabled guests have a better experience, but also that they aren’t overwhelmed by issues that could so easily be resolved way before the show.
My main advise is to fully lock off an area for guests with disabilities - and not use it as a thoroughfare nor allow other guests who do not require access (or are not PA’s / Carers) to use that space. I think there needs to be greater management and security of that space, throughout the show. There needs to be a better system at the booking stage for customers with disabilities, and greater understanding of the needs and accommodations of guests with access requirements.
