Martin Hibbert calls on Manchester's AO Arena to improve 'disabled viewing' experience
Martin Hibbert describing his experience of the accessible area at the AO Arena
Arena bomb survivor Martin Hibbert has called on one of Manchester's popular venues to do "better in terms of disabled access and viewing areas."
The football agent from Bolton was the closest person to survive the terrorist attack in May 2022 and has visited the Arena a number of times in his wheelchair.
But he said he won't be taking up his offer of replacement tickets to see Take That at the venue after it was cancelled at Manchester's troubled new venue, Co-op Live Arena.
He said the last time he used their accessible viewing platform he said they were 'herded in their like cattle'.
The father-of-one said the last time he went into the 'accessible' area at the Arena to watch the Masked Singer two years ago, he was taken to a 'platform' which he described as a free-for-all with limited space for carers or guests.
He said only those at the front got a decent view of the stage, with those sitting behind left struggling to see.
He said he'd gone to the show with his wife Gabby, who was given a plastic chair to sit on next to Martin.
But as the platform got busier with other wheelchair users, he said she felt she had to move to sit at the back on her own to let others 'try to have a better view.'
Martin Hibbert said to get to the 'disabled area' he had to follow the bomber's route.
He said his experience was even more harrowing because he was taken to the platform, using the same lift and route, as the bomber Salman Abedi took, to detonate his home-made device in the venue's City Room.
Martin said for him that was 'too much' going past the place he saw his daughter Evie seriously injured and waiting for help and where he thought he was going to die.
Martin, who is now the Vice President of the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) is campaigning to make the world a better place for disabled people.
He is urging politicians, planners, developers, and businesses to put disabled access higher on their agendas, to encourage real change.
He has been invited to be an advisor to Sasha Lord, the Night-time economy advisor to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and says there is so much more the area can do to support disabled people.
Martin said for him that was 'too much' going past the place he saw his daughter Evie seriously injured and waiting for help and where he thought he was going to die.
Martin says he hopes to be able to talk to the Arena team about improving access for other people.
Martin has offered to meet with the Arena team to discuss improving disabled access
He says he will stay go to the Arena for concerts in the future but only when the 'accessible' area is improved.
He had booked Take That tickets for the Co-op Live Arena venue because the access at the state-of-the-art venue is supposed to be 'superb'.
He says hopefully AO Arena will learn from them, when it finally opens, to ensure Manchester has a number of 'world class music venues' for everyone to use.
On the AO Arena's website they say they have disabled seating on Blocks, 105, 108, 109. Adding accessibility seating in “row X” requires the use of ten steps with a handrail to access
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