Spinnaker Tower Portsmouth - Wheelchair Users Discriminated Against by Portsmouth Council
Portsmouth, don’t you just love it? The history, The Seafront, The Shopping - Usually yes, but for wheelchair users there is a dark side to Portsmouth.
I had a fantastic day in Portsmouth yesterday, I was treated to a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) ride out to Cowes on the Isle of White by a local company JBT Marine where we had lunch at a beautiful pub called The Folley and had a most enjoyable time zipping across the Solent in the Rib at break-neck (not again!) speed.
So how could my day in Portsmouth and especially at Gunwharf Keys be ruined - Here’s how.
Two of us thought that we would take a trip up Spinnaker Tower, The City of Portsmouth’s gift to the people for the new Millennium. So there I am waiting to pay my money when all of a sudden a Spinnaker Tower staff member asked me if I had pre-booked. I had obviously not, as I was not in the pre-booking queue, so I already though he was a twat as believe it or not some people in wheelchair can actually read!
I could already smell a rat at this stage; then all of a sudden he metaphorically pulled out a shotgun and blasted me clean in the chest, here is what the stooge at Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower told me:
“As you have not booked, you need to be informed of our Disabled Access Policy, if you would like to see the duty manager she will explain this to you”
For a second, I was stunned with what I had just heard; then the full impact of what I had been told sunk-in.
The man in the wheelchair was being treated like a second class citizen! Bollocks to that - I was out of there!
No way was I going to drilled on what the hell I could or could not do and how to escape should there be a problem, I’m a big boy, I know the rules!
Although I am in a wheelchair, I still have the audacity think for myself brain and not dribble; I can make decisions for myself. For example like the decision I made earlier in the day to sit on the side of the Quay at the docks whilst my mate helped me into a high-speed RIB. It’s my life; I make the choices, so fucking what if I am in a wheelchair?
Having checked the official website of the Spinnaker Tower, I read that I am not allowed to visit the attraction on my own! I beg your pardon, did I read that right? Yes I did. Well that’s just fucking brilliant, what happens if I want to take one of nieces or nephews on a day out? Well according to the policy makers of Portsmouth City Council say that I am not allowed to take them out because I am seemingly fucking useless!
Portsmouth City Council what century are you living in? I know yoy have a deep naval history that spans hundreds of years, but we are now in the 21st Century and you are discriminating against independent wheelchair users.
Let me say that again: Portsmouth City Council Discrimate Against Wheelchair Users
and again: Portsmouth City Council Discrimate Against Wheelchair Users
and again: Portsmouth City Council Discrimate Against Wheelchair Users
Get this Portsmouth City Council and the operators of the Spinnaker Tower - Not everyone in a wheelchair is a fucking vegetable! I would say the right wheel on my wheelchair has more intelligence than the politically correct twats in charge of policy at Portsmouth City Council.
If I decide that I wish to go up the Spinnaker Tower, that is my responsibility; do these politically correct wankers not realise that when I go up in any building it is a risk. I don’t remember being informed of the safety policy when I had to take the lift in the Gunwharf Quays car park, so you tell me, what is the difference?
And the reason why I was made to feel a second class citizen - Because Portsmouth Council only have one of the lift in order on the Spinnaker Tower, so disabled people (more importantly wheelchair users) are treated like shit because Portsmouth City Council fucked up the funding for the Spinnaker Tower and thus only one of the lifts is in operation, What fucking good is that?
Well, lets take our hats off to Portsmouth City Council and start giving the rigorous applause for being such useless c*nts and then make policy for making twats out of wheelchair users who have travelled to the city - Well Done!
Obviously, the episode did not make me feel like a twat, I’m bigger than that. However what it did do was make me bloody angry; angry that in this day and age just because I have four wheels and a cushion under my arse, I am not allowed to go where I want without supervision.
Well let me tell you Portsmouth City Council, that’s bullshit, and so are your bullshit ways.
Do you think the City Councillors at Portsmouth City Council and the Health & Safety policy makers have ever heard of spontaneity? YOU FUCKING DO-GOODERS MAKE ME SICK - I’ve already broken my neck, what could possibly be worse than that? If the lift breaks, we’ll sort something out, there is always a solution
It’s like, lets build a huge tower to celebrate the Millennium (which incidentally opened on 18th October 2005, Only five years late you useless bastards) and save money by only having one lift in operation - What a joke - This country is a joke because we have jokers running councils up and down the country.
Quite frankly I think any of the Councillors at Portsmouth City Council would struggle to get 1 star let alone 5 stars if they worked in MacDonald’s.
It is another example of a council not being able to get things right, and I’m sick of it.
Am I disappointed that I never went up the Spinnaker Tower? No
Am I disappointed with wheelchair users being treated like second class people whilst in Portsmouth? Definitely
Am I going to do anything about it? You’ve read the blog, if you are a wheelchair user I invite you to weigh-up the facts before going to the Spinnaker Tower, and of course make your own mind up, but then the wankers at Portsmouth City Council don’t think you have the ability to do that!
Written by MrCrip on April 15th, 2007 with
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#1. April 19th, 2008, at 6:21 PM.
I’m sick of do-gooders too. I’m not a wheelchair user BUT I DO know exactly what you mean. I want to make my own decisions, take my own risks, I want to live MY life. What a boring fu*king life this is becoming. Everyone I know is starting to hate the UK and it’s because of the stupid do-gooder fools sticking their noses into all aspects of life. All I have to say to them is - GET ON WITH YOUR OWN FU*KING LIVES AND LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE ALONE!
One last thing.. insurance should be banned. They are just thieves next to the TAX people and are controlling more and more to try to keep the money they have stolen from the people. Cheeky cu*ts.