Free carer ticket at theatre

stefos

There are of course many degrees of 'disability' (as witnessed in users of blue badge parking bays...)but most theatres just use this sort of concession for wheelchair users only.

Of those that don't offer this sort of concession mainly do so for reasons of accessibility and of course 'elf and safety.

I am a full-time wheelie and don't 'expect' preferential treatment even though this is an inconvenience for a percentage of the time - roughly 99.9%...

Some of the above replies are obviously from the ignorant/insensitive and I hope the idea someone has proposed about wheeling us in to be collected later isn't adopted.

<Thinks>. They could of course have their hand stamped for readmission later..

Indie_Kid

stefos wrote: »

There are of course many degrees of 'disability' (as witnessed in users of blue badge parking bays...)but most theatres just use this sort of concession for wheelchair users only.

I wonder how this is legal? After all, they are discriminating against those of us with other disabilities?

mrcol1000

Just to add, it often depends on the type of show the theatre is putting on. Some theaters book the act and pay them a fee and keep ticket money. Some acts book the theatre and either pay the theatre or let them keep the bar money. Sometimes it is 50/50. Sometimes it is a mix of all three.

Our local theatre gives a free ticket for a carer (when the disabled person pays full price) only when the theatre has paid for an act to appear and keeping all the ticket sales money. Any other arrangement and they don't.

I need my OH to help me at the theatre and couldn't manage on my own. While it is nice for them to go free, I wouldn't expect it or not go because I had to pay for them.

SandraScarlett

The autonomy lies with the producers of a show, not the theatre. Some will offer a free ticket for a carer, others will discount both seats, and others will not provide a discount at all.


But they are obliged to accommodate you, whether or not you are in a wheelchair, in a way that makes your experience as comfortable as possible. DH and I visited the same theatre, several years running, but for different shows, and the discount, or not, differed each time.


But they always ensured that he had step-free access, proximity to the disabled toilets etc. Many theatres now insist on a first-time patron producing proof that they are in receipt of DLA, before offering a discount, because so many people have abused this.


Once they have your details, you can then book over the phone without any problems, and most theatres have a dedicated access phone line, so that they can accommodate your needs and requests. HTH.


xx

Sunshinesusie3

SandraScarlett wrote: »

The autonomy lies with the producers of a show, not the theatre. Some will offer a free ticket for a carer, others will discount both seats, and others will not provide a discount at all.


But they are obliged to accommodate you, whether or not you are in a wheelchair, in a way that makes your experience as comfortable as possible. DH and I visited the same theatre, several years running, but for different shows, and the discount, or not, differed each time.


But they always ensured that he had step-free access, proximity to the disabled toilets etc. Many theatres now insist on a first-time patron producing proof that they are in receipt of DLA, before offering a discount, because so many people have abused this.


Once they have your details, you can then book over the phone without any problems, and most theatres have a dedicated access phone line, so that they can accommodate your needs and requests. HTH.


xx

This is right. However spaces maybe limited.

When DLA was first introduced it was my understanding that it was given to people with disabilities/health conditions to help meet the additional cost of daily living. Recognising that if a theatre or other fee charging cultural experience doesn't provide a concession, the cost of two people having to attend would be covered by this payment. It's how PIP differs. And not in a good way IMO.

GlasweJen

I don't get it. I'm a member of ATG and have never been given a free ticket for my other half to come with me to the theatre. I get the ATG discount because I pay a yearly fee and that more than pays for itself as my social circle particularly enjoy the theatre.

I'm a wheelchair user and my friend who comes to the theatre a lot is registered blind, quite often if we go together we pre-order our interval drinks and ice cream and someone brings them to our chairs. The guide dog is always brought a bowl of water and if possible they leave the space beside my friend or sit her on the aisle so her dog has space to lie down during the performance.

Parva

GlasweJen has thrown a bit of a spanner in my works on this one.A wheelchair user with a blind carer and guide dog, that's got to be a rare occurrence. Not a dig at you Jen in any way, just an odd pairing but inspiring all the same.

For me personally in my wheelchair (I'm minus a whole right leg and much of my hip) I'd happily pay for myself AND my carer (which is my son usually).

Generally, if I go to an 'event' it's because I want to go and my carer (son) might not want to be there, I don't begrudge paying his entry fee.

GlasweJen

There's usually more than me and my friend. My other half loves the theatre too, my blinds friends boyfriend comes, along with another 2 couples or any mix of us depending on what's on.

When we got tickets for Wicked in Edinburgh the theatre was so packed they had me in a wheelchair space, OH beside me on a real seat then one of my friends on what was essentially a deck chair erected into the gap where the next wheelchair space was it was so packed! That took a bit of organising as the guide dog decided it wanted to lie under the deck chair for the duration of the play.