Thank you for visiting our site and considering this petition. We appreciate your interest and support in advocating for a fairer, more accessible, and safer Pride. We believe that Birmingham Pride's current ticket policy falls short of upholding these important values.

We have outlined several simple demands that we believe will contribute to a better Pride event for all attendees. These demands are as follows:

1. Create a concessionary ticket for under 18s without bar access.
2. Clearly establish and communicate the responsibilities of supervising adults at Pride as per licensing conditions.
3. Stop shifting blame onto individual bars and take responsibility for ticket sales issued by Birmingham Pride.
4. Discontinue the blanket policy of providing free tickets to Over 65s and replace with concessionary tickets.
5. Introduce fair conditions on concessionary tickets around ID requirement and pre-booking.

We would also like Pride to strongly consider the following to improve access to the event:

6. Introduce other concessionary tickets for vulnerable and low-income groups, making Pride more financially accessible and inclusive for all members of the community.

By addressing these demands, Birmingham Pride can demonstrate its commitment to fostering a more inclusive, accessible, and secure Pride event that upholds the values of fairness and equality for all participants.

The current ticket pricing policy undermines the reputation of Birmingham Pride and has a negative impact on its standing within the community. It is disappointing that despite these issues being raised in February, Birmingham Pride has been difficult to engage with and have not provided any guarantees that future events will not have the same issues.

If you believe that the demands and reasoning presented in this petition are reasonable and necessary for creating a better Pride event, we encourage you to sign the petition. Your support will contribute to raising awareness and pushing for positive change.

If you require any further clarification on the demands raised or have any questions, please refer to the information provided below.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this important matter. Let's work together to make Pride better for everyone involved. Have a wonderful day!

EXPLANATIONS

Children below are described here as anyone aged under 18 and generally refer specifically to 13- to 17-year-old children.

1. Create a concessionary ticket for under 18s without bar access

Our key demand is to introduce a concessionary ticket specifically for under 18s that excludes bar access to keep these children safe and to not be financially exploited. Birmingham Pride provide free tickets to children aged 12 and under, but anyone aged 13 to 65 must buy tickets with bar access to get into the event. The current ticketing policy access is morally problematic for several reasons.

Firstly, it is inappropriate to encourage children to attend venues where alcohol, sexualised activity, and drugs are present as these environments pose risks to their safety and well-being. By making bar access a requirement for entry into any paid part of the Birmingham Pride event, the current ticketing policy could inadvertently embolden more children to access these venues. They paid for the access after all.

If children can’t get into these bars on their own, they may seek out adults to try to get them into these venues by posing as a responsible adult as legally required. While reasonable adults should discourage such behaviour, it cannot be guaranteed that everyone will act responsibly, and there is no guarantee that such behaviour will be identified or addressed. Moreover, there is no assurance that an adult in such a scenario would prioritise the protection and well-being of a child in that environment.

Secondly, from a technical standpoint, Birmingham Pride is misrepresenting what 13- to 17-year-olds will be entitled to at the event. These individuals will be denied access to certain venues due to various licensing policies, meaning they will not have access to all the bars as initially described.

To address these concerns, a simple solution would be to introduce a ticket and wristband specifically for children that does not grant access to bars. This ticket and wristband should be easily distinguishable for the benefit of stewards and security personnel. Additionally, the pricing of this ticket should be set at a rate that makes it more desirable for children to purchase compared to the adult ticket. This approach would encourage safe behaviour and take into consideration that children generally do not have the financial means to afford the cost of an adult ticket.

By implementing this solution, Birmingham Pride can prioritise the safety and well-being of children while providing an inclusive and appropriate experience for all attendees.

Birmingham Pride Ticket Sales: https://birminghampride.com/tickets/

2. Clearly establish and communicate the responsibilities of supervising adults at Pride as per their licensing conditions.

This demand is vital for maintaining a safe and secure environment for young attendees. According to Birmingham Pride’s licensing conditions, it is a requirement that children under the age of 18 are always accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. However, the information provided on the Birmingham Pride website states that only children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. This inconsistency not only creates confusion but also represents a failure to fulfil their responsibilities in safeguarding children. As described in demand 1, there can be serious consequences to a lack of proper adult supervision.

There should also be clear communication as to what supervising adults are responsible for,. Similar festivals like Glastonbury music festival more clearly establishes these responsibilities which can also be adopted by Birmingham Pride.

By adhering to their own licensing conditions, Birmingham Pride can create a safer environment for children attending the event. It is essential that Birmingham Pride clearly communicates and sticks to its own terms in requiring that all individuals under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult throughout the duration of the event, and what is expected of supervising adults at the event.

Birmingham Pride FAQ site: https://birminghampride.com/faqs/

"We encourage families to attend Pride. Children under 14 must be accompanied at all times by an adult."

Birmingham Pride Hurst Street License terms: https://licensing.birmingham.gov.uk/registers/inde...

Birmingham Pride Pershore Street License terms: https://licensing.birmingham.gov.uk/registers/inde...

"Children have to be accompanied by an adult who has attained the age of 18. No children allowed at the bar serveries."

Glastonbury childcare advice page: https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information...

UPDATE - Birmingham Pride have updated their website to say that under 18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over on the evening of 26/05/23. If you were unable to attend Pride without adult supervision because of how the terms were previously worded, contact them, complain and demand a refund! The responsibilities of supervising adults are still not communicated on the site so the rest of the demand stands.

Image saying that under 14 adult supervision requirement dated 24/05/23: https://ibb.co/R9rL1C3

3. Stop shifting blame onto individual bars and take responsibility for ticket sales issued by Birmingham Pride.

Birmingham Pride has attempted to shift the responsibility onto individual bars by stating that these venues have their own licensing conditions that prohibit entry for under 18s. However, it is important to recognize that the sale of Pride tickets is solely handled by Birmingham Pride, not the individual bars. Therefore, it was the decision of Birmingham Pride alone to implement and carry out the sale of bar access with all tickets, which resulted in misrepresenting the ticketing process for under 18s.

By passing blame onto individual bars, Birmingham Pride has tried to deflect accountability and avoid taking responsibility for their own oversight. It is essential that Birmingham Pride acknowledges their role in instigating and enforcing the ticketing policy that has affected under 18s.

To rectify this situation and regain trust, Birmingham Pride needs to accept responsibility for their actions. They should provide guarantees that such misrepresentation and mis-selling will not occur in future events. By taking ownership of their decisions and committing to fix the issue, Birmingham Pride can demonstrate a commitment to transparency, accountability, and the fair treatment of all attendees.

Birmingham Pride Ticket Sales emphasising bar culpability post 15/05/23: https://birminghampride.com/tickets/

Birmingham Pride Ticket Sales without mention of bar culpability pre 15/05/23: https://ibb.co/194XM9T

4. Discontinue the blanket policy of providing free tickets to Over 65s and replace with concessionary tickets.

The current ticketing policy means that Over 65s can access to all the standard packages for free over the whole weekend event. This is unjustified and unfair on other Pride goers for many reasons.

Over 65s are generally in a better position to afford or contribute to Birmingham Pride than the youngest cohorts. Many of pension age benefit from state, private and workplace pensions, and many have assets accumulated over their lifetime or other work income. According to ONS data, those of state pension age have accumulated around £468k of wealth on average, compared to £22k for 16–24-year-olds. Whilst some Over 65s may also face financial hardship, it is not a universal trait of this group, and a concessionary ticket aimed at those on lower income would be more appropriate. Please see Point 6 below for further discussion.

In addition to this wealth, state pension benefits have been uplifted with inflation whilst millions are struggling with a cost-of-living crisis, real term pay and benefit cuts as well as reduced pay from strike action. Over 65s are also more likely to own their home outright and so are not dealing with interest rate rises on such significant debt. Taken altogether, this group should be more than able to afford contributing to attending Pride.

The enjoyment of Over 65s will in effect be part subsidized by 13- to 17-year-olds. This young cohort are more likely to be at the start of their journey as an LGBTQ person, and Pride is an opportunity for them to see a side of Birmingham and themselves where they may not otherwise experience it. It is not fair to charge those at the start of their journey with little means to pay whilst those who can afford to get in for free.

Birmingham Pride should reconsider its free ticket policy for Over 65s and at least charge a concessionary fee to Over 65s, if not charge them the regular ticket price. The youngest cohorts, who are still in school and with little purchasing power, should not be made to pay full price when they can ill afford to do so.

ONS data: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunit...

5. Introduce fair conditions on concessionary tickets around ID requirement and pre-booking.

Currently, children under the age of 13 are informed that they must bring ID and pre-book their tickets to redeem their wristbands. While this approach aims to ensure accuracy and compliance, it may present challenges for younger individuals who may not have official identification documents readily available. It is crucial to consider the practicality and feasibility of such requirements for this age group.

On the other hand, there is no specific requirement for Over 65s to produce ID or purchase in advance when redeeming their tickets, potentially leading to the possibility of abuse or fraudulent ticket redemption. This inconsistency raises concerns about maintaining the integrity of the ticketing system.

To strike a balance between ensuring security and accessibility, it is essential to review and modify the requirements for age-restricted tickets. While imposing the same conditions for all concessionary tickets is important, there should be a greater element of trust when it comes to children under 13. Instead of rigidly enforcing ID requirements, a more lenient approach that focuses on trust and parental/guardian responsibility could be considered.

For Over 65s, it remains important to implement appropriate measures to prevent abuse and ensure the validity of ticket redemption. Requiring ID for this age group can help maintain the integrity of the ticketing process and ensure that the concessionary benefits are utilized by those who are eligible.

Birmingham Pride needs to implement a new ticket policy that better reflects the ability of attendees to meet requirements. By implementing the changes above, Birmingham Pride can rectify the current issues, create a fairer ticketing system, and ensure that the event remains accessible and enjoyable for all attendees.

Birmingham Pride Ticket Sales: https://birminghampride.com/tickets/

6. Introduce other concessionary tickets for vulnerable and low-income groups.

Introducing concessionary fees for other vulnerable and low-income groups would help to address the lack of affordability and accessibility for individuals with disabilities, those on income support schemes, and individuals in education. By offering concessionary prices, Birmingham Pride can make the event more accessible and inclusive, allowing individuals facing financial challenges to attend and participate fully in the celebration.

Currently, Birmingham Pride does not offer any concessionary prices specifically tailored to these groups. This means that individuals who are already facing financial constraints and additional challenges must pay the same price as those who do not face similar circumstances. This lack of consideration for the unique needs of vulnerable and low-income groups is a cause for concern.

For individuals with disabilities, the absence of concessionary tickets is particularly disheartening. People with disabilities often face higher living costs and encounter barriers to accessibility, which can limit their participation in events like Pride. Introducing concessionary prices for this group would acknowledge the additional challenges they face and make attending the event more financially viable.

Similarly, individuals on income support schemes or in education may also experience financial limitations. These individuals should have the opportunity to participate in Pride without facing significant financial burdens. By offering concessionary fees to these groups, Birmingham Pride can ensure that the event is inclusive and accessible to a broader range of individuals, regardless of their financial situation.

It is important to note that while there is a blanket free ticket policy for Over 65s, it is not necessarily representative of the challenges faced by all individuals in that age group. The lack of concessionary pricing for other vulnerable and low-income groups highlights the need for a more targeted and inclusive approach to ticket pricing. Please see explanation 4 above for further discussion.

By introducing concessionary fees for these lower-income groups, Birmingham Pride can demonstrate a commitment to making the event accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances. This approach would help ensure that individuals facing various challenges can participate in and enjoy Pride without experiencing undue financial hardship.