Wireless Festival criticised for offering disabled viewing platform ‘outside the park’

Ah, the joys of a music festival. A chance to dance and sing along to your favourite artists up close and in the flesh – or in the case of disabled attendees at last weekend’s Wireless Festival, from really far away.

The three-day event in Crystal Palace - which ran from Friday to Sunday - boasted a line-up including A$AP Rocky, Chris Brown, J. Cole and Tyler, The Creator.

However, for disabled music fans who wanted to enjoy the music, their viewing platform appeared to show them located right at the edge of the park.

A gravel path is seen in the foreground, and then beyond that, a wide stretch of the field before the main crowd are visible as tiny specs in front of the main stage. Not great.

Katouche Goll, a disability activist, shared footage of the far-out platform on Twitter on Friday, claiming one individual came onto the platform “and vomited on the platform stairs”.

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A day later, she added: “It’s just as bad today - no improvements have been made! No one can get their wheelchairs over the gravel, so we’re not able to move around the grounds.”

Katouche also claimed pathways on-site had “no signage, large potholes and no tracking pad with grip for mobility aids”, and alleged the staff were “incompetent, hostile and unwilling to support”.

“Equitable access is not a favour, it’s a human right. Disabled people have the right to attend festivals just like everyone else,” she said.

Another user, named Hannah, shared pictures appearing to be of Wireless Stage, of which half of the view is obscured by a giant tree.

“I want a refund,” she wrote.

Other social media users were left gobsmacked at the views:

According to Wireless’ access page on its website, organisers Live Nation and Festival Republic want the festival to “be an event that is accessible for all”.

“At all of our festivals, we work closely with the charity Attitude is Everything, who work to improve Deaf and disabled people’s access to music,” they said.

However, Attitude is Everything have since taken to Twitter to confirm that “contrary to the copy on the website we did not advise on the planning of this particular event”.

They wrote: “We are collating all feedback and social media posts. Anyone who wishes to is welcome to send their experiences to info@attitudeiseverything.org.uk.”

Indy100 has approached Festival Republic and Live Nation for comment.

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