Bananarama gig ruined for woman

DISABLED FAN COULD NOT SEE BAND IN HALL

A DISABLED woman’s dream of seeing Bananarama live was shattered after she was forced to leave their Newcastle gig because of poor facilities.

Paul Sturrock planned the perfect 50th birthday celebration for his wife, Heather, by taking her to see her favourite band at Newcastle City Hall.

The day had been meticulously planned as Heather is in a wheelchair, requires 24-hour care and is housebound most of the time due to ill health.

After months of excitement, the pair set off from their home in Billingham, Teesside, to see the band on Wednesday evening.

But excitement soon turned to heartache once the band went on stage and the crowd took to their feet – blocking Heather’s view entirely.

She said: “Bananarama was my thing years and years ago. I lived for the day they’d get back together and it has been my dream to see them play live.

“I was excited for months about it and my husband had booked the tickets for the disabled area, but when we got to the hall we were just parked on the end of a line.

“When the band came on everyone stood up and all I could see was legs. I would have been just as well having a CD on as there was nothing to see...

“I was so upset and crying that we left after three songs – I’m devastated.”

Heather criticised the venue for not stating that their view would be severely restricted at the concert and called for better disabled provision.

She said: “It is devastating when you build yourself up for something and then something like this happens. No amount of money can bring back the performance.”

Paul, who looks after Heather full-time, slammed the venue for failing to provide adequate facilities.

He said: “I was absolutely outraged.

“My wife’s special day was utterly and completely ruined, her face went from joy to upset in one second flat.”

Philip Bernays, chief executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust, apologised to the couple and said bosses are putting a plan together for a full refurbishment of the venue.

He said: “We are sorry that Heather and Paul had such a disappointing evening at City Hall and we have been in touch with them directly to discuss their experience.

“Although we ask that artists Paul and Heather Sturrock from Billingham, Teesside, who had disabled section tickets to see Bananarama at Newcastle’s City Hall do not instruct the audience to get on their feet, once this happens we are left powerless to make an entire concert audience sit down again.”

Mr Bernays said the trust agreed that disabled facilities at the venue fall ‘well below modern expectation’.

He added since taking over the management of City Hall they had spent over £1m on essential repairs and had identified areas other areas which require improvement.

But he said the historic nature of the hall means there are restrictions and the work will not be cheap.

“In the meantime, we are constantly looking at ways to improve the experience of our audiences,” Mr Bernays said.