[Albion] Well done Arsenal

[spanish flair]

An uplifting tale indeed. I hope you will relay your story to the club. I too know of people who have had an op or an accident who have been refused use of the lift at the Amex. For people who clearly have mobility issues it really wouldn't hurt.

If you do contact Barber it would be interesting to know his response. Not sure he has ever admitted making the wrong call before but there is always a first time. It is only a bloody lift FFS! If the club are worried about its use being abused, stick a cap and a bit of gold braid on a steward and they can operate it.

I would suggest he only writes to Mr Barber if he has a spare couple of hours to read his response

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I would be interested to know how they get a safety certificate for allowing the use of lifts in the East stand for disabled then?

Designated stewards to assist evacuation down steps (reserved for such emergencies) maybe.

https://www.stannahlifts.co.uk/products/passenger-lifts/fire-fighting-evacuation

Or special lifts.

 

[Daffy Duck]

Saw Chris Kamara and Paul Walsh getting out of the lift from WSU few seasons ago.
I did have a few choice words with them. They weren't amused.

 

[wuntbedruv]

Indeed. I am a mere 64 but I had a knee op a couple of years ago and asked the club if I could use the lift to west upper for one game while I recuperated. They said no. To be fair they offered to seat me in the disabled section, an offer I gratefully accepted, and they let Mrs T and the nipper join me. But it is a shame that they can't allow use of the lift for West Upper. I have never seen it being used to deliver supplies of food and beer. In fact I am not sure I have ever seen it in use. Disappointing.

Does get used for the Stadium tour and also for the 1901 level.

 

[Swansman]

An uplifting tale indeed. I hope you will relay your story to the club. I too know of people who have had an op or an accident who have been refused use of the lift at the Amex. For people who clearly have mobility issues it really wouldn't hurt.

If you do contact Barber it would be interesting to know his response. Not sure he has ever admitted making the wrong call before but there is always a first time. It is only a bloody lift FFS! If the club are worried about its use being abused, stick a cap and a bit of gold braid on a steward and they can operate it.

When I sent a ehhh certain email to him years ago, he said they had probably overdone playing "Ring of Fire" before the games...

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I would suggest he only writes to Mr Barber if he has a spare couple of hours to read his response

Might include a massive climb down?

 

[el punal]

An uplifting tale indeed. I hope you will relay your story to the club. I too know of people who have had an op or an accident who have been refused use of the lift at the Amex. For people who clearly have mobility issues it really wouldn't hurt.

If you do contact Barber it would be interesting to know his response. Not sure he has ever admitted making the wrong call before but there is always a first time. It is only a bloody lift FFS! If the club are worried about its use being abused, stick a cap and a bit of gold braid on a steward and they can operate it.

It’s not down to Paul Barber though, is it? I was informed, when I purchased my season ticket in the West Upper before our first game at the Amex, that for safety reasons the lift could not be used for the fans. The reason being that in an emergency (i.e. a fire) the lift could break down and those inside would be trapped. (I suggest people watch the film ‘Towering Inferno’ to get a better idea of that particular shit storm).

In addition, I was also informed that if I had mobility issues then it would be advisable not to sit in the West Upper - mainly because climbing a hundred plus stairs would knacker you out, and also, you would need to descend the stairs pretty pronto in case of an emergency.

 

[The Optimist]

An uplifting tale indeed. I hope you will relay your story to the club. I too know of people who have had an op or an accident who have been refused use of the lift at the Amex. For people who clearly have mobility issues it really wouldn't hurt.

If you do contact Barber it would be interesting to know his response. Not sure he has ever admitted making the wrong call before but there is always a first time. It is only a bloody lift FFS! If the club are worried about its use being abused, stick a cap and a bit of gold braid on a steward and they can operate it.

It's about escape in an emergency. If you are incapable of climbing the stairs to get in, will you be capable of using the stairs to escape in an emergency? If not, then how do you get out? Normally the answer is evacuation lifts / evac chairs / refuge areas etc along with the right management procedures to support such an approach. If these things are not in place, then there's a real problem.

 

[Bodian]

Cheaper to run a lift than to supply every away fan with the mountaineering gear and oxygen tanks needed for that section.

Last time I went there, we were awarded with a free pie and a bottle of beer as a reward for getting to the top!

 

[Miximate]

Right on so many levels

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Indeed. I am a mere 64 but I had a knee op a couple of years ago and asked the club if I could use the lift to west upper for one game while I recuperated. They said no. To be fair they offered to seat me in the disabled section, an offer I gratefully accepted, and they let Mrs T and the nipper join me. But it is a shame that they can't allow use of the lift for West Upper. I have never seen it being used to deliver supplies of food and beer. In fact I am not sure I have ever seen it in use. Disappointing.

I had a knee replacement at a positively young 45. This was while we were in the Championship so plenty of games during my recovery. @Herr Tubthumper generously allowed me to use his 1901 seat for a couple of games but for the rest, the ticket office switched me from WSU to ESU.

I know that there were lifts put into the ESU for use by the fans unlike the WSU but not sure how different this is from a fire evacuation view. Maybe it is because the ESU has fewer steps so is easier to evacuate?

 

[Screaming J]

This all seems a bit odd. I geddit that you don't use lifts when there's an emergency, either because they are then for a specific purpose; or no blighter uses them in case they get stuck (power cuts).

But preventing their use for some fans who have mobility problems when there is NO emergency.?

Bizarre!!!

 

[Morvangull]

Reading through this thread and think it strange as I live in an apartment block with a lift and it has a poster outside the lift that it should NOT be used in case of fire. Completely opposite to the procedure at the Amex.

 

[wuntbedruv]

But preventing their use for some fans who have mobility problems when there is NO emergency.?

Bizarre!!!

Misses the point about entering the WSU by lift when there is no safety concern but where an incident occurs during the game.

I find it hard to imagine a circumstance short of an aircraft crashing into the WSU roof or a suspected series of backpack bombs In which a total evacuation of the WSU would be needed though, the concourse is hardly packed with flammable materials.

 

[BLOCK F]

On entering the Emirates each home game my personal steward asks of my health and my family. He then takes me up in the lift where he has a table and chairs set out in the concourse. My meal & wine are served. Once finished, and note I'm never rushed although the game starts without me so I do miss around 15 minutes, I'm escorted to my pre-heated seat and offered a blanket to keep me warm. When we score my steward jumps and claps on my behalf so I can remain seated, although he refuses to sing.
I love corporate football.

Can he go for a wee for you or at least empty the receptacle he discreetly placed under your blanket?
If so, it sounds like the kind of chap who could be of assistance to me.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

It's about escape in an emergency. If you are incapable of climbing the stairs to get in, will you be capable of using the stairs to escape in an emergency? If not, then how do you get out? Normally the answer is evacuation lifts / evac chairs / refuge areas etc along with the right management procedures to support such an approach. If these things are not in place, then there's a real problem.

Have you ever used an evac chair? They are not easy, especially in a panicky crowd all trying to get out at the same time own the same stairs.

 

[wuntbedruv]

Have you ever used an evac chair? They are not easy, especially in a panicky crowd all trying to get out at the same time own the same stairs.

What circumstances can you invisage where a prompt evacuation of the WSU would be needed?

I understand the logic although the Lifts, including Disabled lifts for the ESU, are used. What I struggle to see is what circumstance would make evacuation to the WSU concourse an unviable option for a safe place prior to a leisurely evacuation.

 

[METALMICKY]

At Newcastle you can get the lift without no question at all.

Don't they fire you from a cannon, oxygen tank and supply you with a parachute if you need to make a quick getaway

 

[wehatepalace]

To be fair, the stewards at the Amex are pretty good with this too, a few seasons ago I broke my leg playing Rugby, managed to hobble to the Amex on crutches, as I went in they opened the big gate rather than make me go through the turnstile, asked me where I sat, when I told them the back of the north stand they offered me a seat in the disabled section, which I politely declined and then a steward cleared a path through the very crowded concourse and followed me up to my seat.

Pretty decent I thought, considering I’d not asked for any help, it was just a very kind gesture that went above and beyond !

He did however rip the piss for playing rugby rather than football !

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I suspect that the underlying reason is that some football fans might overload the lift and it would be forever being out of action or being repaired. To suggest it isn’t used in case there is a fire is farcical as that could apply to any lift in the country.