‘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 asked to leave a Manchester nightclub after being told her wheelchair posed a safety concern. The incident occurred at Club Tropicana in the Gay Village on Saturday evening, where she and a companion were soon removed from the premises within minutes of entering.
Maddie shared a video on Instagram capturing the exchange with a bar manager. In the clip, she emphasized her frustration: “It’s not okay to be removed from bars because you are disabled and different. If they can be in there, why shouldn’t we?”
Earlier that night, Maddie had visited other bars in the city with her friend without issue. However, at Club Tropicana, security staff initially allowed them inside, even helping to lift her wheelchair into the venue. Her friend left to get a drink, and shortly after, security approached Maddie, apologizing but insisting she had to go. When she requested to speak with the manager, he was described as “horribly rude” throughout the interaction.
“I asked, ‘how was I a safety risk?’ If I was a risk, they wouldn’t have let me in first. They wouldn’t explain why, but then the story shifted to saying I was a fire risk,” Maddie said.
In response, she pulled out the 2010 Equality Act on her phone to highlight that wheelchair users cannot be excluded based on fire safety concerns, as evacuation plans must be inclusive. “I told them, ‘you can’t make me leave because I’m in a wheelchair – this is discrimination,’” she added. The manager dismissed her argument, repeating his stance without acknowledging the legal basis she presented.
Club Tropicana issued a statement noting an investigation is ongoing, stating it “would be inappropriate to comment further.” The club confirmed it had been informed of the incident, though not directly contacted by Maddie. Manchester City Council is also reviewing the situation following her complaint to its licensing committee.
Under the Equality Act, venues are legally required to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals, such as ramps and other accessible measures. Discrimination based on disability, like refusing entry, is considered a breach of this law. Maddie said the manager later threatened to pass on any fines the club might face to her, adding to her sense of injustice.
Despite eventually leaving, Maddie insisted on recording the names and contact details of the staff involved to pursue a formal complaint. “The whole thing was really embarrassing. I was in a bar with my friends and kept getting security sent over,” she reflected. “It was infuriating because I showed them the law, but they hadn’t taken it on board.”
Maddie, who has lived with a disability for nearly five years, said she is familiar with her rights. “Being disabled means you kind of learn about this stuff,” she noted, underscoring her determination to challenge the incident.
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.