Disabled ticketholders described their Wireless Festival experience as “disappointing and a waste of time and money.”
The three-day event at Crystal Palace over the weekend featured A$AP Rocky and J. Cole, among others.
Wheelchair users, however, encountered steep inclines, rough gravel, and obstructed views of the stage.
Katouche Goll tells Radio 1 Newsbeat, “I’m just so sick of feeling like a second-class citizen that I can’t stand it any longer.”
“We were unable to leave the platform. The first day was windy and chilly, and it took them an hour to provide us with seating.
The ticket cost the 25-year-old woman with cerebral palsy over £200, and she considers it “a waste.”
Katouche was there with her friend Lexi, who described navigating the “potholes, gravel, and steep hills” as “devastating and distressing.”
She describes “poor pathways and flooring” throughout, which were “primarily for go-karts, not wheelchair users,” as well as “not a very good ramp” leading to the viewing platform.
The music fans claim that as they moved deeper into the festival grounds, “access became more difficult.”
Lexi’s wheelchair has an attachment that makes it easier to traverse rough and uneven terrain, but she was unable to “climb the ramp because it lacked grip.”
At a second vantage point, her view was obstructed by “a tree right in front of us.”
Lexi acknowledges that a security guard created “a small area for us so we could see the stage,” but believes that accommodations should have been made “in the first instance.”
“It’s extremely sad and distressing. We wanted to celebrate with our friends, so going there and being so far away from other people was not a pleasant experience for us at all.”
According to Katouche, staff members were unable to provide directions to the accessible entrance.
She believes that the majority of employees were “completely unconcerned, incompetent, and somewhat hostile towards any request we made.”
Prior Wireless Festivals was “well-organized,” according to Lexi, with access guides and information sent in advance.
The two, however, believe that “consultations with disabled people” are necessary.
Next weekend, both Lexi and Katouche will be at Wireless in Finsbury Park, hoping that things will improve.
Lexi has been offered a refund, but festival organizers Live Nation and the Festival Republic have not yet responded to Newsbeat’s request for comment.
In an email to her, they explain that they “fell short” of normal expectations and apologise for the inconvenience.
“We sincerely hope that this experience will not deter you from attending one of our festivals in the future, where we hope you will have a more positive experience and view us in a more favorable light.”
