‘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, Maddie Haining, recounted her experience of being removed from a nightclub in Manchester’s Gay Village after being told her wheelchair posed a safety risk. The incident occurred on Saturday night at Club Tropicana, where she and a companion were asked to leave within minutes of entering.
Instagram post highlights the confrontation
Maddie shared a video on Instagram capturing the exchange with a bar manager. In the clip, she stated: “It’s not okay to be removed from bars because you are disabled and different to other people. If they can be in there, why shouldn’t we?”
Before arriving at the club, she and her friend had visited other bars in the city that same night. Security staff initially allowed her wheelchair into the venue and assured them there was no issue. However, her friend went to fetch a drink, and shortly after, security approached Maddie to request her departure.
“They were really sorry but had been told to ask me to leave,” Maddie explained. “I asked, ‘How was I a safety risk?’ If they wouldn’t let me in initially, why was I now being ejected?”
When she demanded to speak with the manager, he arrived and was “horribly rude” throughout the conversation. Maddie emphasized: “He just kept repeating himself and didn’t acknowledge anything.” She challenged the manager by presenting the 2010 Equality Act on her phone, arguing that wheelchair users cannot be excluded based on fire risk without proper evacuation plans.
“I said, ‘You can’t make me leave because I’m in a wheelchair – this is discrimination,’” she added. The club later stated it was investigating the incident and would not comment further. Manchester City Council confirmed it was reviewing the situation after Maddie filed a complaint with its licensing committee.
Legal framework and consequences
Under the Equality Act, venues are legally obligated to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals. This includes features like ramps and inclusive evacuation strategies. Refusing entry due to disability is considered discriminatory, potentially violating the act.
Maddie noted the manager threatened to assign any fines the club received to her. Despite this, she decided to leave, requesting staff names and contact details to pursue a formal complaint. “The whole thing was really embarrassing,” she said. “I was in a bar with my friends, and security kept coming over.”
“It was infuriating because I showed them the law, and they hadn’t taken it on board,” Maddie reflected. “Being disabled for nearly five years, I know my rights.”
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