O2 Academy

Excellent Priority Access service at The Hives concert at the O2 Academy in Glasgow for an epic concert experience. When I arrived Robert a member of staff was waiting with my name to personally accompany me and my +1 to our chosen area to watch the concert. The venue has seats with great view that are dedicated to access customers and are not at front or side and stick out like a sore thumb but blend with the rest of the venue. We did not choose these seats as I wanted to see from a height to get a good view. The venue has seated balcony but I choose the balcony booth at the sides of the stage. We were walked there with help and shown around so we knew what bar to use, where to get merch and Robert insured as we were females that we had a booth directly outside the female toilets. He was courteous and knowledgeable of my needs beforehand without having to ask. We felt like VIPs and had the best view. We also met Rachel the supervisor who came by periodically to check our booth wasn’t overcrowded by checking people’s tickets. It was spacious and safe and we had a great time.

The security staff were really helpful getting us in and out of the venue as well as checking in on us once inside. Situated on viewing platform in amongst able bodied attendees which made you feel part of the whole gig experience. Parking really difficult and state of pavements around the venue are challenging. But these are not insurmountable without a bit of common sense being applied.

Worst venue I have ever been to, I had a disability access bench and I was assaulted, harassed and bullied out my seat by a bunch of drunk Irish women. I asked security 4 times to make me safe and move me, I had to eventually let them feel the tube in my head to be taken seriously. To say the managers sean and especially Chris could not have cared less is an understatement, Chris in particular is vile and they waited 21 days for the cctv footage to be wiped before they got back in touch and took great pleasure in telling me they didn't even watch it. Please be careful if you are disabled or have a brain injury, the academy group could not care less about keeping you safe, 6 wooden benches isn't a disabled access area. This was also vip treatment and i had to wait on a freezing set of stairs for way over an hour and was refused water for my medication because the upstairs bar was used for a meet and greet and the venue wasn't ready, when it was ready the disabled toilet was covered in faeces.