Disabled access at Pride is to be reviewed after complaints at this year’s Fabuloso festival.
According to disabled revellers posting on social media, ramps were too steep to enter the access tent, and a lack of rubber mats on the muddy ground meant wheelchairs couldn’t get onto the wheelchair platform.
There were also reports of the disabled toilets not having any grab rails – meaning some disabled people could not use them independently.
Brighton Pride told Brighton and Hove News that following feedback from festival attendees, it will be reviewing its accessibility provider.
Pippa Hodge, who runs Brighton Access for Disabled Groups Everywhere (BADGE) said: “Some LGBTQIA BADGE members and allies who have disabilities went to this year’s Brighton Pride and their basic access and festival needs weren’t well met.
“Others tell us that they gave up trying as the event has become even less accessible over recent years and it was too frustrating or upsetting.
“Being disabled and LGBTQIA means having to face even more inequalities, barriers and bias in everyday life.
“The last place our members should feel excluded is at Pride.
“We have an absolute conviction that more can be done to make Pride accessible, safe and enjoyable for disabled people.
“We have plenty of insight and ideas from our LGBTQIA members and are keen to be part of a pan-disabilities working group along with other community groups in the city, so we can help Pride Organisers – and indeed other event organisers – create truly accessible events that integrate our diverse community.”
A Brighton Pride representative said it had put a lot of time and effort into making the event accessible, but this year’s extreme weather made this very challenging.
They said: “We were very upset to hear about the experience we were contacted about. We have been in touch directly to see what we can do, and we will listen to concerns and make improvements.
“We are always keen to improve, and we are already planning changes for next year’s events.
“We welcome feedback and suggestions, especially from people with lived experience. Please contact us with your comments access@brighton-pride.org.”
This year, Brighton Pride had 330 customers with a variety of accessibility requirements – an increase of more than 50 percent on last year’s 216 applications.
Councillor Leslie Pumm, chair of the Equalities, Community Safety and Human Rights Committee, said: “We are very sorry to hear that access problems at the Pride festival in Preston Park on Saturday spoiled some people’s experience of the day.
Not quite so Fabuloso after all.