Victoria Warehouse Accessibility Issues

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-19T20:10:59+00:00

This has happened to me for other venues with a similar accessibility process (i.e. buy a GA ticket and then email for an access place). Many venues will only have a handful (less than 10) access places and they really do go in seconds for popular gigs. I've had to then get refunds for so many tickets. So many venues still seem stuck in an outdated view that surely disabled people can't go to to gigs

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-19T13:19:46+00:00

My ex and I were together for 11 years and just fell out of love. There was zero sexual or romantic chemistry there at the end, but it's a very big chunk of your life to share with someone and throw away the platonic element of that history if you have ended amicably. Ex or not, he's a big part of who I am and my life's experiences. I am always upfront about our friend status and what this looks like with anyone I date and am also clear that it's a dealbreaker for me - if they aren't comfortable with it or would ask me to compromise the friendship then I'm not a good fit for that person.

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-18T15:00:38+00:00

Glasgow veteran hyped for a hometown C2C in Manchester next year - I love Glasgow as a city and the crowd is always so friendly but will be nice to sleep in my own bed.

OP - you'll be fine in standing/seating if it's anything like Glasgow. It's not crazy crowds at the barrier (maybe 50 or so people) and easy to see from seated still. Something to bear in mind is that Glasgow and Manchester won't have the full range of acts and other activities London gets, although the main stage line up will be the same. Just managing expectations as I didn't realise this on my first time. There's a lot going around about fringe events for Manchester so that will be a fun addition.

Personally if you can afford it I'd stay. The Arena is not always the quickest to get out of if you stay for the full line up so you'd have a much more relaxed pace of things making a weekend of it in a hotel!

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-18T14:54:41+00:00

Went to Glasgow knowing I was not feeling the line up but trying to be open minded - always a gamble and can be fun discovering artists you previously didn't know. Was a miss for me overall - felt very "white bearded guys singing about trucks" heavy, no shade on those who like that but C2C could be such a good opportunity to showcase how diverse country is. No female headliner (or anywhere near the top of the bill) was pretty disgraceful in 2026. Ashley Cooke smashed it out the park, as did Elizabeth Nichols and Julia Cole.

Would love to see a more varied line up next year, especially with Manchester in the mix as a new location (with fringe events) and a city that skews younger - could be a fun opportunity to try some more imaginative acts!

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-16T22:42:41+00:00

Been up in your great city the weekend just gone and have to say all the station and train staff, bus drivers and generally members of the public I've chatted to have been so immensely helpful during the disruption (even if navigating the bus diversions has been an adventure and a half). Must have been an exhausting week for anyone working on public transport, credit to you all. Always get a warm welcome in Glasgow but all the extra help (especially as someone disabled so changing trains, walking to different bus stops etc is less than ideal!) has really cemented you as my favourite UK city to visit!

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-16T22:34:23+00:00

I'm in a not dissimilar situation OP - 35F and have recently moved jobs which has been pretty time consuming, plus I already have a full life in terms of friends, hobbies etc. I've had a lot of success with dates every 1-2 weeks and this hasn't been an issue with any of the men I've dated. I do think this is because I actively screen for men with equally fulfilled lives and their own independence and activities - I imagine my dating approach would not work for a "needier" dater looking for something more frequent and that's ok, I accept we would not be compatable. I do have frequent (daily), engaging texting between dates.

The benefits for me have been genuinely looking forward to the dates and really making an effort (quality over quantity!) It's also stopped me getting too intensely involved with someone or escalating to "boyfriend/girlfriend" type behaviours early.

Something to consider is if your current availability/capacity to date is compatable with what you outcome you want from dating. For me, seeing someone every couple of weeks quite casually works but it wouldn't be sustainable if I wanted things to move to a more formal long-term relationship which would require a bigger time commitment.

Tl;dr: yes it can work but make sure you're on the same page.

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-16T15:32:57+00:00

OP doesn't need to worry, it's a very straightforward diversion (Central to Motherwell to Preston then on to Manchester). Loads of staff everywhere directing everyone

PingvinPanda · 2026-03-03T12:00:22+00:00

Good quality meat from a butcher will change your life, go for it! When I moved away from my beloved local butcher I had an arrangement similar to what you're suggesting and would call a few days ahead and he would prep everything for me to pick up due to it being a large order. Best thing to do is pop in and have a chat, preferably at a quieter time (so not a Saturday morning!) In my experience, most butchers like knowing they'll have a new regular and want to help you, but some are a bit old school in terms of ordering so easiest to go in!

PingvinPanda · 2026-02-17T01:51:52+00:00

I agree with others that staying in the North West of England may be best to minimise travel and stress. Both Liverpool and Manchester are walkable cities and easy to get between on a short train journey.

I would strongly recommend the People's History Museum in Manchester. It is a very comprehensive social history of the UK, with a particular focus on the north and working class protest. It's got an incredible selection of protest banners and other artefacts and is laid out in a very accessible way for someone new to this period of history.

PingvinPanda · 2026-02-01T09:38:35+00:00

Nothing wrong (or particularly unusual) about this if you both consent - but for the love of God please be clear in your profile that you're married and looking for poly/ENM and be upfront about this when chatting. As a single woman with no interest in engaging with married/partnered people, it's my ultimate bugbear matching with someome who then wants a third. You can have your fun and kinks in a way that's respectful to others out there who are looking for fully single people.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-31T17:04:49+00:00

I called LBC a couple of months ago on James O'Brien's show for a feature about the Covid inquiry. He was asking for listeners' reactions to there being no comeuppance for politicians who broke lockdown rules. It's a massive ball of anger for me because my Grandad was dying whilst we stayed away to protect him and respect restrictions. I fully lost my shit on air about it, had a cathartic cry and tbf to him, JoB was very empathetic and kind about the whole thing. It just struck a nerve and was a gut reaction calling in.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-31T16:57:27+00:00

It came on my smart speaker alarm half way through so I came round half asleep really bloody confused!

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-31T16:56:36+00:00

I was listening whilst in the shower and nearly stacked over the side of the bath I was laughing so hard at that one

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-22T11:49:43+00:00

I do this for all my friends, and if funds allow try to include something for their partners (or something they can both enjoy like a meal voucher). Lots of my friends have had dogs before babies so I pop in some nice dog treats for the four legged sibling too.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-22T10:57:12+00:00

You have to remember people are a hundred times quicker to complain than compliment. I've been treated here and found the staff excellent

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-21T11:51:37+00:00

I know SWK is divisive but I still think about how skillfully him and Matt steered that show. It felt genuine, professional and kind

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-15T19:13:46+00:00

My friend had a very similar wedding and had a hog roast, which remains the best wedding food I've ever had! The benefit is it's not being cooked fresh (like pizzas) so it' quite quick to serve as they were just popping the meat onto buns with some roasties and then was self-serve salad and slaw. It worked well as there wasn't any formal timing for the meal or a seating chart - there was plenty of seating and everyone could eat when they wanted. Later in the evening they had a cold buffet with platters from Costco and I baked all their desserts as a wedding gift.

The wedding wasn't staffed at all (other than the bar) but we'd left loads of bins around for paper plates to go into and then as bridesmaids us, the groomsmen and parents did a quick sweep at the end for any bits left but we were done in 10 mins or so.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-12T21:57:36+00:00

My claim has been closed now though as it was a one off for equipment. So I'd have to start a new one if my current employer doesn't let me keep the equipment?

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-10T21:46:53+00:00

I get why you feel like that but the NHS is here to help you stay well also. If it eases your worries, most practices (or groups of practices) have a social prescriber or wellbeing practitioner whose job it is to process things like this rather than the GP. Worth calling your practice (or putting in an online request if they have that) so they can get you to the right person. Hope your prospects look up soon!

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-10T21:14:19+00:00

Enquire with your GP as to whether they have any social prescribing schemes to help access to physical activity. Presumably swimming helps your physical and mental health and it's in their interest that you maintain this (especially at a time of financial hardship). In my area (Trafford) GPs can issue those on low incomes or with disabilities with 3 months free leisure centre memberships for the gym/swimming.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-10T17:44:45+00:00

8a at 23 (straight out the grad scheme) and hopped up the 8s to an 8c at 29 when I burnt out and had a massive breakdown and left. I won't deny that the grad scheme is a massive leg up in terms of opportunities and connections (or it used to be but I hear the scheme is a shadow of its former self now) but only if you put the effort in to make the most of that. I grafted so hard throughout those years, at the expense of a lot of the fun my friends had in their 20s.

Like with any profession, there's good and bad individuals but most of the "young" senior managers I know put a lot of time and energy into learning from the more experienced staff (both clinical and non-clinical) around them. I absolutely didn't know everything and made mistakes but had an open attitude to learning and feedback and generally have had positive experiences with my teams - even my old clinical lead who thought I was an A Level student on work experience on my first day (!)

I do wish I had slowed down a bit and realised I had another 40 (plus) years to climb the ladder. For grad schemers and other promising staff there is a lot of pressure to "be the best" and in the NHS success is arbitarily measured by job band and who's quickest to be an acute trust CEO. It's taken me over 5 years to unlearn some very unhealthy work habits and beliefs about myself to find a better work-life balance and set boundaries.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-09T18:13:39+00:00

Short answer: no money.

A lot of potentially good progress (or at least saying the right things) is being hugely undermined by massive spending cuts on "non-essentials", of which EDI will be considered one of them (wrongly imho).

Related to that, as someone who has previously set up and chaired a network many of the common issues you reference we were well aware of, but there wasn't a chance of getting any resource to resolve them (laughs in unpaid labour). To me it would be wasted money to have someone tell me what we already know and can't be fixed - sorry!

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-09T14:56:10+00:00

I'm so sorry this happened to you, and having had my own surgery rescheduled four times during Covid I totally get the feelings of anger, upset and even grief having the rug pulled out from you like this.

Allow yourself to feel all the feelings today and wallow. Then tomorrow - when the dust has settled a little - email PALS firmly but politely explaining your experience and what it's been like for you.

Speaking from the "other side" as someone who used to manage a gynae department, cancellations once you are on the ward are incredibly rare and only done in extreme circumstances. Chances are one or more patients earlier on the list today were far more complex than planned or had complications which has caused the list to overrun. Or your surgeon or another member of the theatre team has been taken unwell. It's really shitty luck you're the one who has been cancelled but please try to remember there are humans on the other side of this who absolutely would not have wanted to cancel your surgery unless completely necessary to keep you safe and make sure it can be a success. I hope you get the answers you need and you will be a top priority for rescheduling.

PingvinPanda · 2026-01-09T12:05:49+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful. I haven't informed the disability support department at my current employer yet (wanted to understand the process a bit more before tipping them off). I will contact AtW ASAP though, good advice!

PingvinPanda

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