Fighting for accessible live music events
Photo Credit: SMK National Campaigner Awards 2022 Photographer Zoe Maxwell.
Status: Won
Clients: Sally Reynolds, Sarah Cassandro, Victoria Nelson
“We hope that this ruling will empower Deaf people who want access to services, without them having to go through lengthy discussions or seek out legal action.”
Sally Reynolds
The issue
In 2017, Cate Reynolds and her friends Megan and Emily went to a Little Mix event. Cate’s mum, Sally, and her friends’ mums, Sarah Cassandro and Victoria Nelson, are Deaf. They were only able to follow the event if British Sign Language (BSL) was available.
The Little Mix events promoter refused to accept that BSL interpreters were reasonably required. When challenged with legal action, they threatened the families with costs liabilities of over £100K.
The outcome
In 2021, Judge Avent in the Central London County Court handed down a judgment that criticised the behaviour of the LHG Live (the company changed its name to Live in the UK) finding them guilty of unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act.
Equality campaigners successfully secured a court injunction forcing a private entertainment company to provide a sign language interpreter at a live music event. The court found the company guilty of unlawful discrimination under the equality act. Shortly after the ruling, Wembley Stadium announced that they will offer British Sign Language interpretation as a guaranteed service at every live concert – making them the UK’s biggest venue to offer this. This campaign won in May 2022 the SMK Best Use of Law Award sponsored by the Law for Change fund.
