Accessible gig ticket pre-sales 'not good enough'

Gig venues are being urged to make sure accessible tickets are included in pre-sales after Gary Barlow fans faced a struggle to secure an early spot to see their idol.

Jennifer Gallacher, from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, tried to get tickets to see the Take That star at the Stockton Globe but found accessible places were not initially included.

The theatre's owner, ATG Entertainment, said there was a "technical error" which prevented people from purchasing those tickets.

But Ms Gallacher said: "It's just not good enough. If you're going to have a pre-sale, have a pre-sale for everybody."

She said people with accessibility issues were "already at a disadvantage anyway, because the numbers [of tickets] are so small compared to general seating".

"Don't have us at a further disadvantage, it's just not acceptable."

Ms Gallacher added she did not think it was the venue's fault and that the Stockton Globe is "very accessible".

She had tried to buy the tickets online at gigsandtours.com.

The website's operator, SJM Concerts, said the "majority of venues manage and book their own accessible tickets" and it understood the Stockton Globe "was working internally" to ensure the problem did not happen again.

ATG Entertainment said when pre-sale tickets are available through another agent accessible seating tickets are sold through its Access Booking Line at the same time.

A technical problem meant those tickets were not available immediately in the Barlow pre-sale, but staff members contacted those impacted.

"The agent who had originally spoken with Jennifer called her back within the hour and was able to process accessible tickets for her," the company said.

"We will continue to investigate this matter to ensure that the technical error doesn’t happen again and we are glad that Jennifer was able to purchase tickets in the end."

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