A disabled Nottingham Forest fan says she feels discriminated against after being turned away from her regular disabled parking bay at the City Ground twice in two weeks. Heather Childs, from Gedling, claimed she was even told it was a mistake after it happened the first time on the day of the Reds' Premier League opening fixture against Bournemouth.
After the first instance, which she reported promptly to the club, she said she was given complimentary tickets for the Carabao Cup game against Newcastle on Wednesday evening, August 28. But she said the same issue happened again on the evening of the cup tie - and the season ticket holder resigned herself to watching the televised game from the sofa at home instead.
Now, the 65-year-old has spoken out, saying she's "disgusted" with her experience. She said: "I felt so undermined. I've never felt like that. I am absolutely disgusted with them. They made me feel ashamed of being disabled and I've never been made to feel like that. Never. As far as I'm concerned it's discrimination. I didn't sleep at all last night. It's making me ill. I feel degraded."
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Ms Childs, who suffers with fibromyalgia and arthritis amongst other health conditions, is a Blue Badge holder and has held a season ticket at the City Ground for 15 years. In that time, she said she had always parked in accessible bays at the stadium to ensure she has enough room to open her car door fully to get out when she arrives.
In the most recent years, said said that parking space has been one of the six available in the Brian Clough car park near the Fan Zone, which is the closest spot to her seat in the T7 section of the lower tier of the Trent End. Last season and the campaign before, she said she paid an annual fee of £300 to secure her spot, but this season, the club changed the policy so that those wanting to park would only have to pay £10 on the day.
Spots are first-come, first-served, so Ms Childs has always made sure she arrives at the ground at least an hour before kick-off so she can park freely. But when she turned up for Forest's first Premier League encounter of the season against Bournemouth on Saturday, August 17, she said she was told she couldn't park there.
She said: "They said I could park in the Main Stand car park but it is not accessible for disabled people. I need full door access to exit the car. You've barely got enough room to get out there, never mind how far away it could be from the stadium. I can't walk that distance.
"They said they would take take me in a wheelchair. I said 'no'. I am not being made to feel less of a person than I already do. If I wanted to be in a wheelchair I would be in one. But I'm honest in the fact I don't need one. I am fighting to stay out of a wheelchair. I will not be put in one by somebody who obviously does not understand."
Furious, she went home and sent an email to complain. When she received a response from the club, she said she was told there was no reason she shouldn't be able to park there, that it'd be fine on Wednesday evening for the cup game and that they'd provide her two complimentary tickets as an apology.
Trusting that what she had been told was true, she paid the £10 in advance for parking for the game against Newcastle and decided to pay for Saturday's (August 31) Premier League home game against Wolves at the same time. But when she arrived, she said she was turned away again and went home to watch the game there.
She said: "They called someone to say I couldn't park there and then they stood in front of the car so I couldn't drive in. It's absolutely ludicrious. And they gave no explanation.
"The boys are playing absolutely brilliantly and we're missing it all. That time I complained immediately on the drive home. The club rang when I got home and asked me to turn around and go back. I said I was at home now - I wasn't going to go back again. I'm dreading going on Saturday in case we have the same thing again."
A spokesperson for Nottingham Forest said: “We have today (Thursday, August 29) written to Heather Childs to express our sincere apologies for the upset and inconvenience she has regrettably experienced at recent games.
“Whilst our accessibility parking arrangements have changed for this season, we are fully committed to finding the best solution for Ms Childs to ensure her future visits to The City Ground are comfortable, convenient and enjoyable.
“We look forward to exploring the available options with her ahead of our next home game.” Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo will come up against his former side Wolves in the Reds' third Premier League game of the season. The Reds crashed out on penalties in the cup game against Newcastle after the 1-1 draw went all the way into extra time and then spot kicks.
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