‘I was kicked out of bar because of my wheelchair’
I was kicked out of bar because of my wheelchair
The Incident
An 18-year-old woman from Oldham, Maddie Haining, shared her experience of being asked to leave a Manchester nightclub due to concerns about her wheelchair. The event took place at Club Tropicana in the city’s Gay Village on Saturday night, where she and a companion were removed shortly after entering.
“It’s not okay to be removed from bars because you are disabled and different to other people. If they can be in there then why shouldn’t we,” she stated in a video posted to Instagram.
Before arriving at the club, Maddie had been at other venues in the city with her friend. Security personnel initially allowed them entry without issue, but shortly after her friend left for a drink, staff informed her they needed to exit. She requested to speak to the manager, who was described as “horribly rude” throughout the interaction.
“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. They wouldn’t explain why, and then the story changed to that I was a fire risk,” Maddie explained.
To challenge the decision, she displayed the 2010 Equality Act on her phone, highlighting that wheelchair users cannot be excluded based on fire risks without proper evacuation plans. The manager allegedly dismissed her argument, repeating his stance without acknowledgment.
Club’s Response
Club Tropicana confirmed it was aware of the incident but had not received direct contact from Maddie. The venue mentioned an investigation was ongoing and that it would be “inappropriate to comment further” at this stage. Manchester City Council also reviewed the situation following her complaint to its licensing committee.
Legal Context
Under the Equality Act, establishments are legally obligated to make reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals. This includes features like ramps and inclusive evacuation strategies. Refusing entry based on disability constitutes a breach of the law, as demonstrated by Maddie’s case.
She emphasized her familiarity with her rights, having lived with a disability for nearly five years. Despite this, she felt the staff had not considered the legal implications. “The whole thing was really embarrassing. I was in a bar with my friends and kept getting security sent over,” she said.
After being escorted out, Maddie requested staff details to file a formal complaint. The incident has sparked discussions about accessibility and discrimination in public spaces, with the club and council under scrutiny for their handling of the situation.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
