Deaf mother of Little Mix fan sues concert organisers in row over access

A deaf mum of a Little Mix fan is suing the band's promoter for 'failing to provide an interpreter for the full gig'
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Ella Wills24 January 2018

A deaf mother of a Little Mix fan is suing concert organisers because she claims she was not provided with an interpreter for the entirety of a gig.

Sally Reynolds has claimed the company only provided her sign language support for the girl-group's own set in their recent Sussex concert, not the support acts.

She had previously threatened to take out an injunction against the organiser to force them to offer her an interpreter for the gig, but they agreed to do so.

After attending the concert, Ms Reynolds realised that she had not had access to the band’s two support acts.

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Ms Reynolds booked six tickets to see the band in concert on September 1 at the South of England Event Centre.

Her daughter Cate Merry is a big fan of the group, so Ms Reynolds booked for herself and two deaf friends to go with their daughters, who are all able to hear.

To access the performance, Ms Reynolds asked the organisers, LHG Live, to provide an interpreter, according to the BBC.

But instead she was offered carer tickets and told that she was allowed to bring her interpreter, she said.

The band believe their concerts should be 'inclusive for all'
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After deciding that did not equal full access, the woman instructed lawyers to take out an injunction against the promoter days before the concert to force the company to provide an interpreter.

She told the BBC: "I wanted to share the same experience my daughter had."

An hour before the hearing was due to take place, LHG Live agreed to her demands, Ms Reynold's solicitor Chris Fry said.

But the company allegedly did not provide an interpreter for the two supporting acts to Little Mix.

This left Ms Reynolds feeling short-changed, and she is now taking legal action for the failure to make reasonable adjustments, in the form of offering an interpreter for the duration of the concert.

She added: "It you went to a film can you imagine only getting access to the last 20 minutes?"

Mr Fry, managing partner of Fry Law, told the Standard the case was "unique" as it was the first time to his knowledge someone with a hearing disability has taken on a promoter.

He added: "LHG Live had an opportunity to avoid the legal action by providing [the interpreter] but they only provided it for part of the event, so she took further action."

The solicitor said the case highlights the need for businesses to ensure they provide reasonable adjustments for disabled people.

Under Equality Act 2010, organisations supplying a service to the public are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that a disabled person's experience is as close as possible to that of someone without a disability.

Mr Fry added: "Businesses have had over 20 years of legal clarity that they should make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities.

"It is surprising that large businesses don't expect disabled people will want to access their services."

In a statement, LHG Live told the BBC: "We received a request from Sally Reynolds to supply an interpreter.

"We consulted with her recommended agency and agreed to provide the professional interpreter of her choice for the Little Mix show.

"This included specific staging and lighting, and a set list in advance."

LHG Live also reportedly provided upgraded tickets, access to private accessible toilets and all public announcements on giant screens either side of the main stage.

A spokesman for the band said: "Little Mix strongly believe their concerts should be completely inclusive for all.

"The band welcome all fans to their shows, including those with hearing impairment, and encourage the promoters they work with to make provisions to ensure their fans can enjoy the concert experience."

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