Wireless Festival 2022 disabled access: fans condemn poor accessibility at Crystal Palace music event

Disabled festival-goers have called Wireless “a complete disaster” after being forced to cross “dangerous” and “difficult” terrain at the event in Crystal Palace last weekend.

Fans who attended the festival said they struggled to enter the grounds as a result of poor accessibility.

They also claimed that they were unable to see the performers once reaching the disabled viewing platforms due to the distance from the stage.

Ticket holders are now taking to social media and demanding that they be refunded the £230 ticket price.

NationalWorld contacted Wireless Festival for comment but at the time of publishing has not received a response.

‘It was a complete disaster’

Katouche Goll, 25, who has cerebral palsy, told NationalWorld: “It was a complete disaster from the outset.

“Nothing could prepare us for what we would come across.”

She described how in order to reach the disabled viewing platforms, she had to tackle pot holes and gravel in her wheelchair, and even climb a steep hill.

“It was a health hazard. We all would have gone flying back down the hill if our friends hadn’t been there to help us,” she added.

Miss Goll said at one point her sister was forced to carry her on her back once inside the festival grounds, as there was no step free access to the food vendors.

She continued: “I’m so physically and emotionally drained. I’m tired of being treated like a second class citizen.”

How Wireless Festival ticket holders reacted

Miss Goll, who works in PR and as a content creator, was not the only one to express her anger and disappointment towards the organisers of Wireless Festival.

Twitter user @kinghabzz wrote: “The segregation was real at Wireless.

“The accessibility was terrible for disabled users, utterly unacceptable health and safety.”

@hannahldn__ shared a photo on Twitter which demonstrated the distance between the viewing platform and the stage, as well as an image which showed a tree blocking the view of the stage.

She commented: “What a view at @WirelessFest for us disabled people. Basically outside the park and away from everything.

“P.S. I want a refund.”

Many of the disabled ticket-holders also missed some of the performers, which included the likes of Tyler, The Creator and J. Cole, due to the difficulty of reaching the platforms.

Ms Goll alleged that the reason the festival organisers placed the platform so far away from the stage was to save money.

She said: “They don’t see us as a valid expense.

“I feel so disrespected. They are still ignoring us now.

“They need to publicly acknowledge what they have done so that they can be held to account.”

Ms Goll added that she feels this is representative of the lack of inclusivity and lack of respect shown to disabled people within the music events sphere.

She continued: “I still want to be able to go out and enjoy myself. I don’t want to sit at home all the time.

“I implore everyone to apply pressure to Wireless Festival. We can’t let them sweep this under the rug.”