Access Denied? Blue Badge Holders Challenge Theatre in the Park ArrangementsCouncil urged to explain why staff vehicles were allowed on site while Blue Badge holders were refused access

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is facing serious questions over the accessibility arrangements for this year’s “Theatre in the Park” after concerns were raised about the treatment of Blue Badge holders at last year’s event.

The dispute centres on a simple but fundamental question: is a disabled person genuinely able to attend the event on equal terms if they cannot walk from the designated parking area or carry the equipment needed to enjoy the performance?

The event’s published accessibility information states that designated accessible parking is available within 50 metres of the main entrance—or an alternative step-free entrance, where applicable. It also says that parking is available within 50 metres of a customer entrance, either on or off site, in a car park or on the street.

But for some disabled people, 50 metres is not a short or manageable distance. It can be an insurmountable barrier, particularly where the attendee cannot walk, cannot stand for prolonged periods, or needs to bring a table, chair, mobility aid, medical equipment or other personal belongings into the event.

 A parking space is not the same as accessible participation

The concern is not simply about the distance between a vehicle and an entrance. It is about whether the whole journey—from arrival, through parking, to the event area—has been properly considered.

Many able-bodied attendees may bring tables, chairs and other items to make their visit comfortable. A disabled person who cannot walk or carry equipment cannot reasonably be expected to transport those items across the site unaided.

If staff vehicles were permitted onto the site last year, Blue Badge holders are entitled to ask why a comparable, carefully controlled arrangement was not made available to those whose disabilities required it.

A designated space on a map may satisfy a headline description, but it does not automatically provide meaningful access. The real test is whether a disabled visitor can enter, move around and enjoy the event without being placed at a substantial disadvantage.

Allegations of unequal treatment

A Blue Badge holder attending last year’s event says staff vehicles were allowed onto the site while Blue Badge holders were flatly refused similar access. That decision raises deeply troubling questions about the priorities applied by the organisers.

There may be legitimate operational or safety reasons why some vehicles need access to an event site. However, those reasons do not remove the need to consider reasonable adjustments for disabled members of the public. A blanket refusal, particularly where no practical alternative assistance is offered, risks turning an advertised public event into one that is inaccessible to people with mobility impairments.

The issue is made more serious by the apparent contrast between the access provided to staff and the access denied to disabled attendees. Disabled people should not have to argue that their needs are as important as the logistical convenience of an event. They should not be expected to accept a nominal parking arrangement that does not enable them to participate in practice.

Accessibility information carries an important caveat

The published information includes the following disclaimer: “This information is self-assessed; therefore, we accept no liability for its accuracy. Please contact the venue for further information.”
That wording makes direct communication with the venue essential—but it also raises an obvious concern. Accessibility information is of little value if it is broad, self-assessed and unsupported by clear arrangements for people with different mobility needs.

Visitors should not have to discover at the entrance that “within 50 metres” does not mean they can reach the event safely, or that no assistance is available to move equipment. Nor should disabled attendees be left to make repeated calls and requests simply to establish whether they will be allowed to access an event in a way that able-bodied visitors take for granted.

Questions the Council must answer

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Events Department should provide clear written answers to the following questions before the event:

1.  Will Blue Badge holders be permitted to drive onto the site, or to a designated drop-off point, where this is necessary because of a disability?

2.  If access beyond the designated parking area is refused, what practical assistance will be provided to people who cannot walk 50 metres?

3.  Will staff or accessible transport be available to move tables, chairs, mobility equipment and personal belongings to the event area?

4.  Can a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge remain in a controlled area for the duration of the event where the driver or passenger cannot walk from the designated parking space?

5.  What exactly is meant by “within 50 metres” at this venue, and is the route level, step-free, suitably surfaced and unobstructed?

6.  Is the accessible toilet genuinely located within the main public area and available throughout the event?

7.  Who is the named accessibility officer or senior member of staff responsible for resolving access problems on the day?

8.  What procedure should Blue Badge holders follow in advance to request a reasonable adjustment?

9.  What changed after last year’s complaints, and what assurance can the Council give that disabled attendees will not again be refused practical access?

A legal and moral responsibility

Accessibility is not achieved simply by publishing the words “disabled parking” or “within 50 metres”. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and event organisers may need to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would otherwise face a substantial disadvantage. The appropriate adjustment will depend on the circumstances, but the duty requires meaningful consideration—not merely a standard statement applied regardless of an individual’s needs.

This article does not assert that a court or regulator has determined that the Council acted unlawfully. It does, however, highlight a serious potential accessibility failure that deserves a transparent response. If staff vehicles could access the site, the Council should explain why an equivalent, proportionate arrangement could not be considered for Blue Badge holders who needed it because of their disabilities.

No one should be excluded by a 50-metre rule

Theatre in the Park should be an event for the whole community. That means more than making a general commitment to accessibility. It means planning for the person who uses a wheelchair, the person who can walk only a few steps, the person with a non-visible disability, and the person who needs help carrying essential equipment.

A visitor who cannot walk from a car park should not be treated as inconvenient. A Blue Badge should not become meaningless at the point where the event entrance begins. And a council should not rely on a self-assessed accessibility description while leaving disabled visitors to find out for themselves whether the promised access exists in practice.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council now has an opportunity to put this right. It should publish precise arrangements, provide a named contact, listen to Blue Badge holders and ensure that reasonable adjustments are available before people arrive—not after they have been refused at the gate.

Until that happens, the question remains: is “Theatre in the Park” genuinely accessible, or is accessibility being reduced to a 50-metre claim that fails the very people it is supposed to assist?

We have written to the Council and will publish their response here. Last year the council said:

These were the questions put to Mid and East Antrim Council

Q. That the Council acknowledges its obligations under the legislation outlined above.

A. Council is aware of its obligations under the legislation as detailed

Q. That no future ban or restriction on mobility vehicles will be imposed at Council events without a lawful, evidence-based, and proportionate justification (and only after all reasonable adjustments have been exhausted).

A. Any decisions on the admission of vehicles, including mobility vehicles, to Council events will be taken in accordance with Council’s Risk Assessment and Event Safey Plan

Q. What specific steps the Council intends to take to ensure full accessibility at future events, including “Theatre in the Park.”

A. That an Equality Impact Assessment will be carried out for all future public events. An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out by the Council and is reviewed annualy