‘I was kicked out of bar because of my wheelchair’
I was kicked out of bar because of my wheelchair
An 18-year-old woman from Oldham faced a distressing experience at a Manchester nightclub when she was asked to leave after being labeled a “safety risk” due to her wheelchair. The incident occurred on Saturday night at Club Tropicana in the city’s Gay Village, where she was escorted out by staff following a confrontation with a bar manager.
A Dispute Over Access
Maddie Haining, who had visited several bars in Manchester that evening with a friend, arrived at Club Tropicana with no initial issues. Security personnel initially allowed her and her companion to stay, even helping to maneuver her wheelchair into the venue. However, shortly after, the manager intervened, prompting the pair to be removed.
“I asked, ‘how was I a safety risk?’ If I was a safety risk, they wouldn’t have let me in in the first place,” Maddie said.
Her friend had left to get a drink, and when they returned, security informed them they were “really sorry” but had been instructed to ask Maddie to leave. She then requested to speak with the manager, who responded with what she called “horribly rude” behavior. Maddie insisted the situation was discriminatory, citing the 2010 Equality Act.
“I said, ‘you can’t make me leave because I’m in a wheelchair – this is discrimination,’” she explained.
Legal Framework and Response
Under the Equality Act, venues are legally required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals, such as ramps or inclusive evacuation plans. Maddie demonstrated the law on her phone, challenging the manager’s claim that her wheelchair posed a fire risk. The club stated it was investigating the event and had not been directly contacted by the complainant.
Manchester City Council confirmed it was reviewing the case after Maddie submitted a complaint to its licensing committee. Despite her efforts to clarify the situation, the manager refused to acknowledge the legal basis for her presence, threatening to assign any fines to her.
“The whole thing was really embarrassing. I was in a bar with my friends and kept getting security sent over,” Maddie recalled.
Standing Up for Rights
Though she eventually left, Maddie requested the names and contact details of the staff involved to file a formal complaint. She emphasized her familiarity with her rights, noting that being disabled for nearly five years had equipped her with the knowledge to challenge such treatment. “I’d never had anything like this happen before,” she said. “Being different is not a reason to be excluded.”
Club Tropicana’s statement highlighted the ongoing investigation, while the incident has sparked a broader conversation about accessibility in public spaces. Listeners can follow BBC Manchester on social platforms or submit story ideas via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2230.
