O2 Arena showed dismal attitude to my disability

I hope you can help with the dismal way the O2 Arena treats folks with disabilities. In July 2020, I spent £338 on tickets for two Elton John performances – a seat for myself on one night, and one for myself and my daughter on another.

The concerts were due in November 2021, but postponed until May this year after Elton John had a fall. In the meantime, I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. I can’t attend gigs on my own and cannot manage the stairs required to get to my seats.

As I’m a frequent gig-goer, this has been replicated in many other big venues and all, except O2, have swiftly and efficiently changed my booking to accessible seats with a carer. O2 simply suggests I turn up and they will see if they can accommodate me, but no guarantees.

This seems appallingly out of step with trying to make access easy for everyone, and completely blind to the problems I have even getting out of my front door now, let alone making a long journey into London.

They’ve stuck to this position even after a 75-minute wait to talk to their “accessibility” team. My main concern is they sort out the evening with my daughter as it’s her birthday present. The ticket for my solo attendance will have to be passed to a friend as I can’t attend alone.

SK, Billingshurst, West Sussex O2 boasts of its Attitude is Everything gold standard award, earned by “going beyond obligation to provide fair and equal service” for disabled visitors. Its attitude to you is breathtaking. Significantly, you weren’t stymied by a single customer services agent unsure of what button to press. You say you spoke to several departments, all parroting the same line.

They were willing to let you make the journey into London in your wheelchair and face being stranded and humiliated if no suitable option was available on the night.

O2 recognised the outrageousness of its stance – but only after I questioned its accessibility policy. You were immediately called by the head of customer experience who upgraded the seats on both nights to the wheelchair platform and provided an extra ticket for a carer to be with you at the first performance.

In contrition, you’ve also been offered access to the Amex lounge for complimentary food and drinks and assistance with parking.

O2 says: “We do understand that circumstances for our customers can sometimes change and, as a venue, we will always try and find a solution where possible that best suits the requirements of our customers. On this occasion, it’s regretful that we missed the mark.”

Given that the Elton John concerts are finally going ahead over four years after tickets went on sale, there will be others affected.

One woman wrote to me during a long wait for a refund for accessible tickets bought in 2018. Her declining health meant she could no longer make it to the arena.

What of those who still want to attend, and don’t have the force of a headline behind them? O2 tells the Observer: “We’re constantly looking at how we can improve our customer ticket journey, and will be reviewing our processes for accessible ticket inquiries to mitigate this happening with other customers.”

DVLA sent me on a wild goose chase

I had to relinquish my driving licence in 2021 following a minor stroke. I received a clean bill of health from neurologists in March last year and the DVLA was notified. It wasn’t until December I was told I needed an eye test.

The DVLA insisted I attend Specsavers several miles from my home. I am a wheelchair user, and arrived to find the testing equipment was inaccessible.

A branch in another part of the city was recommended and, with difficulty, I had the test. But the results were inconclusive, and the DVLA wanted me to attend a Harley Street specialist. This time I rang beforehand. They didn’t have wheelchair access.

The DVLA then came up with the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, but it said I would need a referral from a GP. I was then sent to back to Harley Street, which I couldn’t access.

Each time I have to spend nearly an hour on hold waiting to speak to the DVLA, knowing it will get me no nearer having my driving licence returned.

RBB, London

The DVLA should have known you had a disability because your licence has restrictions, as you drive an adapted vehicle. It certainly knew of your requirements after the first failed appointment, but still sent you on a wild goose chase.

As for the nine-month delay in requesting the test, it admitted in November that 168,000 medical driving licence applications had stacked up following lockdown, but says the backlog has cleared.

It did not comment on why you were repeatedly sent to inaccessible venues, but says you have now been called. And, indeed, nearly 12 months after your application, you finally received your licence.