Access All AreasAttitude Is Everything has tweeted about the Deaf mother of a Little Mix fan, who is suing promoter LHG Live for not providing a sign language interpreter at a recent concert.
In a recent tweet Attitude Is Everything, a charity working to improve deaf and disabled people’s access to live music, stated: “We will be following the case highlighted today regarding BSL interpretation of concerts. We welcome Little Mix’s statement and will be consulting Deaf audiences, artists and the industry to establish best practice in this area in 2018”.
Sally Reynolds purchased six tickets for her, and two other deaf mothers, to attend the concert with their daughters, who are all able to hear.
After requesting a British Sign Language interpreter from LHG Live, to ensure that her and her friends could fully appreciate the event, Ms Reynolds reports being disappointed as promoters repeatedly told her “no”, instead offering carer tickets to allow her to bring her own interpreter.
Reynolds did not feel that this response met her needs or gave the attendees full access to the concert; so just days before the event, with no interpreter in place, Reynolds raised a court injunction that would force LHG to provide a British Sign Language interpreter.
Just hours before a hearing was due to take place, LHG agreed to provide an interpreter for the event. However, unbeknown to Ms Reynolds this specialist would only interpret the lyrics to Little Mix and not the other two supporting acts.
In an interview with the BBC she commented: “I felt that we were really part of the little mix experience […] but because it was so good I realised that we had missed out on the first two acts”.
Reynolds is now suing LHG Live under the Equality Act 2010, as she feels that the promoter failed to make reasonable adjustments for her and her friends to enjoy the whole concert.
In a statement LHG defended their handling of the case, claiming that they provided specialist lighting and staging for the concert, as well as a setlist in advance. Furthermore Ms Reynolds’ party, they state, were given upgraded tickets, allowing access to private accessible toilets and were provided all public announcements on giant screens either side of the stage.