Overview

My visit to see Del Amitri last night was ruined by the attitude of staff and the bizarre decision to put the heating on full during a packed gig in June. Unfortunately, due to my autism and asthma, I struggle more than most when I am in a packed room without airflow. I therefore called the venue in advance to find out how hot it was likely to be, and was assured the doors would remain open for the gig (they weren’t). However, that is not the reason for my complaint. As I feared, after about 20 minutes of the main set I struggled with the heat, so went out for some air. Although staff were initially understanding, after some time the attitude of the manager changed. Whereas at first I was permitted to return to the venue and watch the band from the door, soon I was not given a choice. Eventually I was told I could not return to see the band due to concerns over my health (as apparently I couldn’t be trusted to know my own state of health as a lifelong disabled adult), plus I was then told I couldn’t even get a drink from the bar whilst I waited for my wife to come out at the end of the gig for the same reason. In the meantime I had happened to notice that the radiators were on so high that it hurt to touch them, which appalled me. However, even that is not the reason for my complaint. Where insult was added to injury was after I had accepted the manager’s decision to neither let me get a drink nor let me return to see the gig. Trying to make the best of a bad situation, I therefore waited in the foyer in order to hear the band better through the doors and get the odd glimpse as the doors opened to let people in or out. Yet the manager then deemed that I couldn’t stay at that end of a corridor that led to the open air and that I would have to be at the other end, despite my entreaties. I was told I would interrupt the flow of people, even though the gig was in full swing and only the odd person was passing through the sizeable area. Then the bouncers coaxed me to the other end of the corridor, before shortly afterwards ignoring me when I was talking to them by both rudely turning away from me and starting to text. I feel I should also add that before that the bouncers kept telling me that the manager could have told me to leave, as though I should have been grateful not to have been ejected from a venue due to the issues caused by my being disabled. I then left the venue to sit on an outside bench, feeling very aggrieved to have been treated like that and to have missed the rest of the gig due to my disability. As I sat there alone listening to the distant echoes of one of my favourite bands, I realised that what should have been a great night out had been completely ruined by a lack of understanding and compassion. If the manager had even shown some appreciation of my predicament rather than being so implacable, I might have been able to take some solace in what had happened. Sadly, that was not the case.

Transport & Parking

Access

Toilets

Staff

Venue Manager responded to this review

While we appreciate all feedback, we do not agree with the version of events described here. The doors to main hall were open. The customer in question was approached and supported by staff when found unsteady on their feet after they were seen leaning worryingly on the front of house sound desk. They were offered water, and a seat on the balcony in the seated area to watch the show, as opposed to the standing area they had purchased a ticket for. The team supplied them with water and it was explained to them that we had concerns for them. They advised that they were too hot and were then offered a seat in the foyer at the front door to get some fresh air, but refused to cooperate with staff. They were advised they would not be permitted to return to the main hall standing area while they were so unsteady as we were worried for their safety. They were told they were welcome to sit in the balcony, the foyer, or to take a chair outside to rest until they felt better, but they decided to leave. We are sorry that they did have the experience they were expecting, but the team did their best to make them comfortable and keep them safe.