WIREDGOV

Popular festivals like Reading and Leeds, Download and Wireless are more accessible for disabled fans following a legal agreement with Britain’s equality regulator.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) took action against Live Nation, on behalf of itself and its festival operator Festival Republic, following media reports of accessibility issues at Wireless in 2022, and Download in 2023. Disabled festival-goers reported problems with being able to see the stage, a lack of accessible toilets, and event staff who questioned their disabilities. 

In response, Britain’s equality regulator used its enforcement powers to enter a legally-binding Section 23 agreement with Live Nation and ensure it made accessibility improvements at its festivals. 

Among the changes agreed between the EHRC and Live Nation were new policies, introduced ahead of festivals in 2025. Festival goers will have noticed a range of accessibility improvements throughout their user journey, from the moment they apply for an event ticket through to having improved accessible facilities onsite and better customer care. 

Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, said:  

“Festivals should be a place where everyone can have fun and make lasting memories.

"That’s why we took action against Live Nation, using our regulatory powers to ensure it complied with its legal duties to create inclusive and accessible events that everyone can be a part of. 

"After monitoring its activity for the past two years, we’re content that Live Nation has met the terms of its legal agreement with us, making a series of necessary changes to ensure disabled fans can enjoy festivals just as easily as anyone else.  

“These tangible improvements will create an environment every fan can enjoy and give disabled people an opportunity to have their voices heard, shaping the accessibility of future events. 

“We expect other festival operators to take this opportunity to examine what they are doing to make reasonable adjustments for disabled fans and ensure they are creating inclusive events for everyone.” 

As part of the Section 23 agreement, the EHRC required a series of improvements from the festival organisers to its access provisions. Over the last two years Live Nation and Festival Republic have implemented a number of measures designed to achieve these positive systemic changes, including: 

• enhanced Accessibility Guides at all festivals so disabled fans can find event-specific accessibility information  
• policies and guidelines that ensure accessibility is embedded at every stage of a fan’s journey for all festivals  
• an audit of all festival websites and apps to make sure they meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines  
• compulsory organisation-wide disability awareness and inclusion training with accessibility experts  
• a mystery shopper system where disabled participants attend selected festivals and assess the accessible facilities available  
• sensory calm spaces at all festivals
• the analysis of post-event surveys distributed to disabled fans – which is used to inform planning for future festivals 

As the regulator for equality law in Britain, the EHRC is able to take enforcement action against service providers, such as festival operators, where it thinks that they have breached equality law. This unique role means it can ensure that organisations, like Live Nation, understand their obligations to anticipate reasonable adjustments and secure long-lasting impact for disabled festival goers. 

Background

• Live Nation (Music) UK Limited entered into a Section 23 agreement with the EHRC on behalf of itself and its festival operator Festival Republic in November 2023. The agreement covered: Download Festival, Crystal Palace Concert Series, Finsbury Park Concert Series, Wireless Festival, Latitude Festival, Wilderness, Gunnersbury Park Concert Series, Reading Festival and Leeds Festival.
• The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers, such as festival operators, to make anticipatory reasonable adjustments for disabled people. This means they must anticipate what adjustments could be needed by customers with different types of disability, support and access needs.