‘I was kicked out of bar because of my wheelchair’
I was kicked out of bar because of my wheelchair
Incident at Manchester Nightclub
An 18-year-old woman from Oldham recounted being removed from a nightclub after a bar manager claimed her wheelchair posed a safety risk. The event unfolded at Club Tropicana in Manchester’s Gay Village on a Saturday evening. Within minutes of entering, she was told to leave by staff, despite earlier assurances that no issues existed.
“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,”
Maddie Haining shared her experience on Instagram, posting a video of the confrontation. She emphasized the perceived injustice, noting that the venue had allowed others entry without issue. Her friend had already visited multiple bars that night before arriving at Club Tropicana, where security staff initially confirmed their welcome.
After her friend left to get a drink, security informed Maddie they were “really sorry” but had been instructed to ask her to leave. When she requested to speak with the manager, he arrived and displayed “horribly rude” behavior throughout the exchange. Maddie questioned how her wheelchair constituted a safety risk, pointing out the inconsistency in their reasoning.
“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,”
She noted the manager failed to provide clear justification for the decision, shifting the narrative to a “fire risk” after she highlighted the legal protections under the Equality Act. To underscore her point, Maddie displayed the legislation on her phone, arguing that wheelchair users must be accommodated with inclusive evacuation plans.
Club’s Statement and Legal Obligations
Club Tropicana confirmed an investigation was ongoing, stating it had not been directly contacted by Maddie but was aware of the incident. The venue’s statement emphasized its commitment to reviewing the situation.
“We have not been contacted directly by the complainant but we have been made aware of the incident,”
Manchester City Council is also examining the matter following Maddie’s complaint to its licensing committee. Under the Equality Act 2010, venues are legally required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals, such as ramps or other accessible measures. Refusing entry based on disability without cause is considered discriminatory.
Maddie claimed the manager threatened to assign any fines the venue incurred to her. Despite this, she remained determined, leaving only after obtaining staff names and contact details to file a formal complaint. She described the experience as “embarrassing” and “infuriating,” noting her familiarity with her rights after nearly five years of living with a disability.
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