Wheelchair user upset about seating options at Wellington concert

Bad weather forced a last-minute venue change for the Fly My Pretties concert. Photo / File

A woman in a wheelchair upset she was not allowed to sit at the front of the stage at a Fly My Pretties concert in Wellington was offered three other seating options, a spokeswoman says.

Susi Wassong told the Dominion Post she arrived at the concert at the TSB Arena and was denied the seating she wanted as having her chair in the front area was considered a fire risk.

A Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (Wreda) spokeswoman said the concert venue was changed from the Botanic Gardens to the TSB Arena because of bad weather.

The last-minute venue change meant the lifts from the car park were locked, so Wassong had to find another entry and showed up about 20 minutes after the concert started, the spokeswoman said.

"She was really keen to sit right at the front in the kind of mosh pit at the front of the stage. It was not possible because of fire and safety risks, it would have been too unsafe. That's the only place she really wanted to sit."

The spokeswoman said the way the concert was set out meant the front of the stage was not an appropriate place for wheelchair seating. With general admission ticketing, seating was usually available at the back of the venue.

Wassong was offered seating at the back, as well as down the side by the bar, slightly elevated, or on an upper level with a restricted view. However she was "pretty adamant" she wanted to sit at the front.

Wassong told the Dominion Post she was taken to the upper level but it was impossible to see.

The fact the concert had already started made it difficult to negotiate a place for Wassong.

"We're very sorry to hear that it was a bad experience," the spokeswoman said.

"She was given three different options that were suitable for a wheelchair in terms of a clear entry and exit point in the instance of any incidents, but she really just wanted to sit right in the front of the stage."

Wassong has been contacted for comment.