Disabled woman kicked out of nightclub for being a 'fire risk' as she slams 'dehumanising' manager

Peter Stevens
Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:20:30 +0000

A disabled woman has claimed she was kicked out of a nightclub for being a “fire risk” in what she described as a “dehumanising” experience.

Maddie Haining, 18, said she was ejected from Club Tropicana on Manchester’s busy Canal Street.

Ms Haining, who posts on Instagram under the username maddieiswheelycool, said she was approached by a member of security and asked to leave within five minutes of entering the venue.

She said she then asked to speak to a manager, who allegedly told her the wheelchair was a safety risk and described it as a “fire safety hazard”.

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She shared footage of part of the incident, which has received more than 6,000 likes on Instagram and drawn widespread support on social media.

She told the Daily Mail: "It was just really frustrating. You wouldn't think somewhere like that, on Canal Street in Manchester, and which is supposed to be inclusive to everybody, is discriminating against people. It's beyond me.

"I said you can't make me leave this bar - it's discrimination, and it's illegal - you can't make me leave because I'm in a wheelchair."

In the video, she said she referenced the Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful for a business to deny entry to or remove someone on the basis of disability.

"If you have to make me leave a bar, you have to show me documentation or anything like that, to prove it is a risk for me to be in there, which they weren't willing to share," she said.

She alleged staff then told her she had to leave as her friend was drunk, despite Ms Haining saying her friend does not drink.

She said her friend had only ordered a Coca Cola "five minutes before" but eventually became "sick" of being approached by the club's staff.

After being approached for "probably the fifth time", she agreed to leave with her friend.

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Posting on social media after her video went viral, she said it was a “good thing”, adding that “something has to change”.

Manchester City Council is now investigating the complaint after it was referred to the authority’s trading standards team.

She said Club Tropicana formally apologised to her yesterday and that the employee involved has since been dismissed.

In a statement, Club Tropicana said it became aware of the Instagram post on Monday and subsequently launched an internal investigation.

The business added: "We received a formal complaint from Maddison on Tuesday 14th to which we replied with an unreserved apology and confirmed that we were currently carrying out an investigation and that we would share the outcome with her as soon as it was completed."

It said the findings of the investigation were later shared with Ms Haining after reviewing CCTV footage and statements from those involved.

The venue continued: "For clarification Club Tropicana is on the first floor up a flight of steps with no disabled access.

"It is an old building and we have never been advised by the relevant authorities that the building is in contravention to the Equalities Act 2010.

"According to statements from security staff, they informed Maddison that we do not have disabled access to the first floor.

"She wasn’t refused entry, her friend carried her upstairs on her back and two further companions carried up her wheelchair.

"It was a busy Saturday night and the manager on duty in his statement, noticing a wheelchair user in the bar was concerned for her safety and the safety of others in case of an emergency evacuation."

The Manchester venue said it takes "full responsibility as business owners" for the incident, which it described as "completely indefensible, unacceptable and appalling".

It added that it is now reviewing staff training and accessibility at the club.

"Once again we offer our sincerest apologies to Maddison for the stress and embarrassment that she experienced in our venue," the statement concluded.