Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[piggywiggie]

Whom earth would someone that doesn't usually need a wheelchair want to use one?

[MuckleJoannie]

Disability Shetland put a lot of effort into ensuring Mareel is as wheelchair friendly as possible.

[Ghostrider]

oh for pity sake. if your keen to go you will manage as i will. just give it a rest and tryit without the moaning before hand.

 

....and while you're "managing" you're pissing off everybody else that's there at the same time because you're moving so slowly, blocking the way etc. Some of us aren't quite that selfish, and although have every right to be a fully paid up member of the "everyone else should be inconvenienced to empower the disabled" club, do not believe in that mantra one iota.

 

The cinema along with the rest of Mareel is punted as "disabled friendly", but its only that for a limited specific range of disabilities, and not all by a long shot. I'm not saying SA are at fault, others have been involved, starting with whatever some government suit decides is a "valid" disability, and working down, SA I don't doubt are compliant with the relevant legislation, but the end result is only the product of how good, or bad that legislation is.

 

The Mareel cinema floor is steep, somewhere in the order of twice as steep as the old NS cinema floor, the tops of the backs of the next down row of seats are equal to the tops of the arm rests of the row behind, the old NS cinema seat backs were at most equal with the bottom of the backrest of the row behind. The old NS cinema floor was sloping enough to walk comfortably, the gradient on the Mareel cinema floor probably wouldn't be deemed "safe" by H&S regs. hence the stairs.

 

The Mareel cinema I don't doubt is accessible to those who cannot walk at all and have a wheelchair, but what about those with for whatever reason, mobility difficulties that are not severe enough to merit or really benefit from a wheelchair, of which the vast majority of mobility "disabled" people are, and for many of whom stairs are a no no. Are most of those who need a walking stick, are on crutches, have a wooden leg etc and the rest of us with whatever supposed to be regulated to the front row of seats only?

 

While the Mareel cinema *may* theoretically be "disabled friendly" in terms of relevant legisation, in practical terms to many of the disabled its far from it, and I wish SA would stop punting it as more than it really is - "disabled friendly to certain disabilities".

 

I am led to believe that SA hired "Disability Shetland" to provide input at the planning stage on disability access matter, that's fine, SA sought what they presumably considered "expert" advice. I know nothing about "Disability Shetland" or their credentials, but I'd very much like to know of their input, just how much of it came from people with an actual disability with first hand knowledge of the issues involved, and how much of it came from fit individuals who could only view the matter as they "preceive" (usually wrongly) a disabled person would - unfortunately the end result looks very much like the latter option.

 

I'm not much of a film buff, so I'm not too bothered, and have already accepted I can't use the Mareel cinema in my present condition. What is bothersome though is that folk are being led to believe it is "disabled friendly", when clearly that only means its "disabled friendly" only to someone who was "lucky" enough to have one of the disabilities listed on Disability Shetland's sheet of check boxes. Whats also bothersome is that the issue never needed to have arisen in the first place, I've always been of the opinion that Mareel was far too much squeezed in to far too small a building and that the building itself was being squeezed in to a far too small site. Unfortunately everything that has become apparent as the facility has grown only serves to prove my opinion right. Had there been a little more space, it only would have needed to be a few metres, the cinema floor needn't have been anywhere near so steep, steps would not have been necessary, and access for those with mobility issues would have been minimised as much as practically and realistically possible.

 

That said, its now a done deal, so will have to sink or swin best it can. If any act is booked for the main hall that I really want to see, I will be there if I possibly can and see how I get on. I'm not in the business of boycotting the whole thing, as I agree that's just throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The cinema though, its very clear the hassle to me of using it, and the hassle I'd create for others by using it just ain't worth the bother, and would probably overshadow whatever enjoyment I might gain from watching the film.

[bryan1888]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Every new building whether it's a bungalow or a new cinema has to comply with current building regulations, so I'm sure Mareel will be no different!

[unlinkedstudent]

Many establishments will have wheelchairs for such times as folk not in wheelchairs may need them, I am sure they will push you about in one. Remember to phone ahead though, it would be fair to do that.

 

You are patronising beyond belief!

 

I get accused on here of being aggressive - is there any wonder with comments like that?

 

When my PA was really bad, I was told I would be in a wheelchair within 10 years - they were wrong. Yes, one day I might be, and it might be nothing to do with my PA. Until then, I'd like to stay out of one, ta very much.

[beachcaster]

I'm glad the seats will be considerably higher than the seat in front, as it will give me a better chance of seeing over the chip that some people seem to have on their shoulder.

[Spinner72]

Whom earth would someone that doesn't usually need a wheelchair want to use one?

 

People with mobility issues quite often take advantage of wheelchairs to aid access and comfort at gigs and cinemas, and other public buildings like hospitals etc, for some of the reasons mentioned above.

 

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Every new building whether it's a bungalow or a new cinema has to comply with current building regulations, so I'm sure Mareel will be no different!

 

Exactly. Shame in a way, it might be open now if it didnt

[Ghostrider]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Every new building whether it's a bungalow or a new cinema has to comply with current building regulations, so I'm sure Mareel will be no different!

 

Regulations are only as good as their author(s), and if Mareel's cinema (and I'm sure it is) is current legislation compliant, it only proves how crap current UK legislation on the subject is.

 

Are you trying to tell me that some suit(s) somewhere know better about what is and isn't possible for me to do because of my own disability than I do?

[Ghostrider]

Whom earth would someone that doesn't usually need a wheelchair want to use one?

 

People with mobility issues quite often take advantage of wheelchairs to aid access and comfort at gigs and cinemas, and other public buildings like hospitals etc, for some of the reasons mentioned above.

 

Quite possible, but some of us with a disability that probably would earn us the right to a wheelchair, prefer not to give in to that "need" and fight it to the last, its a self-respect, dignity and motivational thing.

[unlinkedstudent]

Whom earth would someone that doesn't usually need a wheelchair want to use one?

 

People with mobility issues quite often take advantage of wheelchairs to aid access and comfort at gigs and cinemas, and other public buildings like hospitals etc, for some of the reasons mentioned above.

 

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Every new building whether it's a bungalow or a new cinema has to comply with current building regulations, so I'm sure Mareel will be no different!

 

Exactly. Shame in a way, it might be open now if it didnt

 

And airports quite often when you say you have difficulty walking, ask if you would like a wheelchair. The likes of Virgin Atlantic staff pull a face when you just say you'd like extra time boarding (It happened twice, along with having a 45 minute delay because apparently my walking stick was deemed a 'weapon of mass destruction' - I kid thee not) whereas British Airways did understand and did everything they could to assist - that meant allowing me an extra 10 minutes to board before the others and yes, before the mums and pushchair brigade too.

 

As Ghostie said, UK legislation is much at fault. However, many organisations do go above the bare statutory minimum re DDA.

[piggywiggie]

Yes some people may take advantage of a wheelchair. But really they should not be forced into it. For me I think all new buildings should try to cater for every need. Not just people who are in a wheel chair that makes them "disabled" and people who are more capable. What about the ones in between. We shouldn't just have the two catogories!

[Fatal Paper Cut]

Again, as with so many "problems" posted about Mareel, this really isn't one.

 

I've been in the Mareel a few times now - most recently a couple of weeks ago. I also have psoriatric arthritis and have had since the age of 24. I've had floating patellas in both kneecaps and had to have fluid drained from my knees on multiple occasions. The bones in my knees grind audibly when I climb stairs and I've managed to get up and down the stairs in the cinema quite easily each time I've visited - once while carrying a heavy tripod and a large, heavy bag of camera gear, and I'm quite willing to bet that their combined weight was easily equal to that of a toddler. It wasn't a problem for me.

 

I was also with a colleague on that occasion. He has an artificial knee, spinal arthritis, is in his mid 60s and also managed the stairs - albeit a little slower than me.

 

They're perfectly normal stairs (There's actually regulations on how high and deep a stair can be, believe it or not) and are no more steep than normal household stairs. Given that there's usually at least half an hour of trailers at the start of every screening of a film in most multiplex cinemas, I'm sure people using the cinema facilities at Mareel will be happy to accommodate people who can't get up the stairs as swiftly as others. They do everywhere else, in my experience.

 

Sitting in the front row is actually quite comfortable. The seats are set further back from the screen in Mareel than the minimum distance requires. The viewing angle was perfectly acceptable to me - and I hate sitting in the front row - when viewing footage on the screen. Alternatively, you could take the lift to the 2nd floor where you'll find the rear entrance to Screen 1 (directly beside the entrance to Screen 2) and sit in the back row. Again, the viewing angle from there is perfectly acceptable. This isn't like being sat in the back of the North Star or the Garrison Theatre - the main screen in Mareel is amazing.

[Siccar]

I hate to say I have a chronic disability but i do. I certainly hate ta pleeps aboot it endlessly so I tend to get ON wi it. We could all die damorn but jeezus, if you use your disability as an excuse or ta try and fin da moral highground, you dinna hiv any debate.

Please try harder.

You Hate Mareel, I can understand that in these times of austerity. but don't try and use your disability as an argument.

TUFFIN UP!

We could all die tomorrow

But I am gonna enjoy aa da minutes I am given. I certainly imna gonna spend me life hatin aa'thing

It's gonna be a shorter life dan I hoped for but I am gonna enjoy every minute.

You won't. Dats A peety.

Hey Ho!

[Ghostrider]

@ Fatal Paper Cut: Its good to hear that its deemed suitable by some with disability, but you're rather missing a point. Stairs, period, are a problem for some, and there really was no need to have any, had there been less gradient on the cinema floor. By all appearances they're not perfectly normal stairs either, every third tread is in effect an extension of an aisle of seating, and as such has a wider tread than their two neighbours in either direction. Maybe I'm missing something, but I cannot see what the advantage of having such a steep gradient is, unless to minimise the footprint of the cinema area within the building.

[Ghostrider]

I hate to say I have a chronic disability but i do. I certainly hate ta pleeps aboot it endlessly so I tend to get ON wi it. We could all die damorn but jeezus, if you use your disability as an excuse or ta try and fin da moral highground, you dinna hiv any debate.

Please try harder.

You Hate Mareel, I can understand that in these times of austerity. but don't try and use your disability as an argument.

TUFFIN UP!

We could all die tomorrow

But I am gonna enjoy aa da minutes I am given. I certainly imna gonna spend me life hatin aa'thing

It's gonna be a shorter life dan I hoped for but I am gonna enjoy every minute.

You won't. Dats A peety.

Hey Ho!

 

Yeah, well the pleepsin only started here after numerous cheap shots about "git oot more". I've been trying to "git on wi it" for over 20 years, but having yer feet, legs, hands and just about everything else do different things than you tell them to do, or believe they are doing, kinda cramps yer style, ken.... Lets keep my morals out of this though, they've always been pretty dodgy and suspect....

 

Naw, I don't hate Mareel. The ideas and intent back at the start were good (IMHO), its just what they evolved and grew in to (especially once the SIC stuck their oar in), has delivered an end product that is unbelievably underwhelming, and like a camel, has every look of having been designed by a committee. Lip service to everything and everyone, but beggar all use for anything.

 

Don't knock dying, its a fun trip, as far down that road as I went anyway - and don't forget, enjoying and hating ain't mutually exclusive, I'm having fun.